Forever New
by Momma Lici
Summary: Arashi didn't die to save the village, though someone did. So Naruto gets two separate minds stuck inside his own, one that wasn't anticipated. What will this do to little Naruchan? What will become of him and the people he meets? I dunno, either.
1. Chapter 1

This was started by runewithsakura, but unfortunately she was unable to complete it at this time, so I took the liberty of doing so with her permission. I hope you all like this!

Summary: What if, instead of the Yondaime sacrificing himself when he sealed the Kyuubi, he sacrificed the life of a Missing-Nin named Hitogoroshi. And both Hito and Kyu are sealed in Naruto. And Hinata gets adopted by Yondaime! 

Intended Rating: T

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"_**KYUUBI TALKING TO NARUTO AND HITOGOROSHI.**_" 

"**Hitogoroshi talking to Kyuubi and Naruto.**"

"_Naruto talking to Hitogoroshi and Kyuubi or Naruto thinking._"

"Regular talking."

"_**Two or More (Hito, Kyu, andor Naruto) talking at once**_"

Prologue

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Arashi Kazama sighed as he looked over the scroll he had recently found. It was the only way to get rid of the Kyuubi, but he knew his wife, Koiji, would never allow him to do it. But it was the only way...

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Sarutobi watched with a heavy heart as the Yondaime Hokage argued his wife. Sarutobi knew that Arashi would never sacrifice any one of the Konoha villagers, no matter how old they were. Arashi would only sacrifice himself if he used this seal against the Kyuubi. Everyone, the entire village, would be devastated. Unless…

"Arashi. Koiji," Sarutobi interrupted the fighting, "What if I said, I had a way to use this seal without Arashi having to sacrifice himself."

"How?" Koiji asked.

"The seal requires a sacrifice, but it doesn't necessarily have to be the caster's life," Sarutobi began.

"I will not sacrifice the life of any villagers," Arashi interrupted. Sarutobi laughed.

"Not the villagers, Arashi. You know me better than that."

"Then who?" Koiji asked.

"I'm sure the both of you remember the S-Class Missing-Nin you two caught a few weeks ago."

"Yes," the two replied. Arashi winced a little though, not particularly wanting to remember what happened.

"Ibiki's done interrogating him, and he's still alive."

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Chapter 1

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"I'm sure the both of you remember the S-Class Missing-Nin you two caught a few weeks ago."

"Yes," the two replied somewhat harshly. Arashi winced a little though, not particularly wanting to remember what happened.

"Ibiki's done interrogating him, and he's still alive."

"Ibiki interrogated him, _and_ he's still alive," Koiji said, "That's a first."

"Would you like to go see him?" Sarutobi asked. Arashi nodded, but Koiji declined.

"You two go ahead," she said, "I have to go see Tsunade for my checkup." She put her had on her rounded belly.

"Are you sure you should be going alone," Arashi said, slipping into Protective-Father-To-Be mode.

"I'll be fine; go," Koiji said, as she pushed them out the door. Koiji smiled, as she heard Sarutobi dragging a now reluctant Arashi along with him.

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Hitogoroshi sat in his cell and cursed his luck. He had managed to defeat the Yellow Flash of Konoha, barely, when said man's wife knocked him unconscious by way of a rock, more like a boulder, to the head. And she was pregnant too, for Kami's sake. She shouldn't have been able to lift that big of a rock at what looked to be eight or nine months along. But she did. And he was stuck in a cell after being interrogated by Ibiki. How the hell he managed to survive that, he had no idea. He almost wished he hadn't.

A small scuffling sound of feet on stone alerted him to someone approaching. Hitogoroshi glared in the general direction of the door as two people came in the room. One he recognized as the Yellow Flash. The other was an old man he didn't know.

"Back to gloat," Hitogoroshi smirked at them sarcastically. Arashi glared, but Sarutobi responded before him.

"No," the old man smiled, sadistically, "Just to use you as a sacrifice to protect the village."

Hitogoroshi paled. _Oh, shit..._

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Sarutobi and Arashi walked into the hospital room, just as Tsunade was finishing up. She wiped her hands and smiled at the two men.

"Everything looks okay, Koiji," she said kindly. "He should be born any day now, so get ready."

"Thanks Tsunade." Koiji smiled at the blond woman.

"No problem." Tsunade left the room, after nodding to Sarutobi and Arashi. She had to go see what her mischievous little niece had been up to lately.

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Two Days Later

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"Keep pushing Koiji-san," the nurse said. Two ANBU entered the room.

"Hokage-sama. The demon is in sight," the one with the bird-mask reported. He was precise and concise.

"Now? Dammit," Arashi growled.

"Go," said Koiji, "Hurry up. You need to get the Missing-Nin before Kyuubi gets here." Arashi nodded, kissed his wife on the forehead, and left the room.

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Hitogoroshi, having resigned himself to his fate, followed Arashi willingly. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the Kyuubi nearing the village.

"That thing's huge."

"That's why I'm sealing it," Arashi agreed. "Anything you wanna tell me before you die?"

"Orochimaru's gathering Missing-Nin from all over in Otogakure."

"And you didn't tell this to Ibiki?"

"I _do_ have pride you know." Arashi smiled a little.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry for doing this to you." Hitogoroshi snorted.

"I doubt that."

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Hitogoroshi woke up and looked around. He was in a cell that was a little different than his last one. Well, it was a little wetter, but that was it.

"**Maybe that was all a dream,**" he said out loud. His voice echoed slightly in the dank air.

"_**DON'T COUNT ON IT,**_" was the answer he received. It was a low growl that made him stiff with tension.

"**Who the hell-**" Hitogoroshi started, but stopped when he saw what spoke. His eyes widened to saucer like proportions.

"_**WELCOME TO YOUR NEW HOME,**_" the Kyuubi said with a malicious grin.

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Arashi stood in the room an hour after the Kyuubi was sealed holding his newborn son as his thoughts spin around the fact that his wife was dead...Koiji had named him Naruto with her last breath and a slight smile. Arashi stuck with the name. No one in the village knew what had happened yet, only that the Kyuubi disappeared in a flash of light. That was good.

None of them knew if Arashi was still alive except for Kakashi, Sarutobi, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Ibiki. Arashi knew that the people of the village were in pain. They would seek someone to blame for their pain, and they would eventually blame Naruto for their problems. He made a split second decision.

"Tell them I died," he told Sarutobi. "Tell the villagers that I died while sealing the Kyuubi. I'll take Naruto and go. I have a place ready just outside Konoha, where the villagers won't find us."

"Are you sure you wish to do this, Arashi?" Jiraiya asked with noticeable concern.

"I'm sure" was the resigned sigh. "I'll return to the village when Naruto has become a Gennin and can take care of himself."

"If you're sure," Sarutobi said, "then I shall go tell them. I would suggest you leave tonight under the cover of darkness. I'll take over as Hokage. For a while, at least."

"Right."

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Six Years Later

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Arashi watched as Naruto played outside, the dirt at his feet full of childish scrawls. It came as a great surprise to him when he taught Naruto to contact the fox and use it's chakra that Hitogoroshi had been sealed as well. The scroll had said nothing about the sacrifice becoming a part of the seal or being sucked into it.

Naruto now had nicknames for the both of them, of course. Kyuubi was called Kyuu much to his - or rather hers, as the Kyuubi turned out to be female - displeasure. Hitogoroshi didn't mind being called Hito. Mainly because it pissed 'Kyuu' off that he liked his nickname while she hated hers. It was a bit funny.

Arashi watched as Naruto tensed. Being the container of the Kyuubi had it's advantages like super senses for instance. And by the way he was tensing, Naruto had just heard something.

"Dad," he called, "I think there's someone crying down by the river."

"Alright, lets go see, and remember what I said," Arashi replied.

"Don't be seen," Naruto grinned. "Gotcha."

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Hinata Hyuuga could never be good enough in her father's eyes. To him, she was nothing but a failure. She decided that she couldn't take anymore and she had run away into the thick forest encircling Konoha. But now she was lost and had no one to help her. She sat down my a river and started to cry her heart to the surrounding woods.

Her head popped up off it's place on her knees when she heard footsteps from behind her. She turned to see a blonde man she had only seen in photos before and gasped.

"Y-you're the Yond-daime," she stuttered with a bright blush.

"And you are a Hyuuga," he replied. "Hinata, I presume." Hinata nodded quickly.

"A-are you really h-him? T-tou-san said h-he d-died a long t-time ag-go," she hesitantly stuttered out.

"I had the Sandaime tell people that so I could spend time with my son," Arashi said. With a sudden thought he crouched near the near trembling girl. "Can you keep that a secret?"

"Uh-huh," Hinata nodded. Then asked, "Will you ever come back to Konoha?"

"When my son becomes a genin I will," he replied kindly. "And we're not to far from Konoha now. Will you tell me why you're here and not there?"

"M-my Tou-san says th-that I'm j-just a f-fail-lure a-at everything I-I do, so I r-ran away," Hinata stuttered badly when she mentioned her father. Arashi stored this away for later and smiled a little brighter.

"No ones a failure at everything. How about you stay with me for a little while?" he asked with a light tone. With a wave of his hand a young boy came from the trees and smiled just as brightly at the girl. "You can meet my son Naruto."

"Ok-kay." She smiled shyly with another blush.

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Sarutobi stared at the letter he had just received from Arashi. Apparently the Hyuuga heiress had run away two days ago and had been found bawling her eyes out. This was the first time he heard of it and he didn't like the fact that the Hyuuga head had yet to make any attempts to find the girl. He had summoned Hiashi, her father into his office and asked what was going on with a stern look.

"The girl is nothing but a failure," Hiashi bit out. "Her sister isn't even a year old yet and can fight better than her. Hinata is in no way nor will she ever be a Hyuuga." Hiashi stormed out of the office with a flushed face. Sarutobi sighed and penned his reply to the Yondaime thinking one thing:

_If Arashi ever gets his hands on Hiashi...we'll never be able to find the body. If there'd even be one left to find._

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I know this may be bad of me, but I'll update every 3-7 days depending on my life...Which I do have...Which is as much a surprise to as to me. Please review and tell me how I'm doing, kay? Till later then! 


	2. Chapter 2

For those who need this:

_**Kyuubi thinking/talking**_

_**Two or more talking/yelling**_

_Naruto thinking  
_

**Hito thinking/talking**

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Chapter 2

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Two Years Later

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"_**STUPID GAKI!**_" Kyuu yelled.

"_Stupid Fox!_" Naruto yelled back. The eight year old had impressive lungs for his age.

Hito sighed. This had been going on for about two hours now, and he was starting to get a headache. He pinched his nose as if stemming the flow of blood would help his pounding head.

"**Could the two of you tone it down a little?**" he asked politely.

"_**NO! STAY OUT OF THIS!**_" they yelled together with the sound echoing.

"_**STUPID GAKI!**_"

"_Stupid Fox!_"

"_**STUPID GAKI!**_"

"_Stupid Fox!_"

"_**STUPID GAKI!**_"

"_Stupid Fox!_"

"_**STUPID GAKI!**_"

"_Stupid Fox!_"

"**What I need is a pair of muzzles,**" Hito said to himself, closing his eyes in resignation.

"_**STUPID GAKI!**_"

"_Stupid Fox!_"

"_**STU-MPHH!**_"

"_MPHHMPH!_"

Hito opened his eyes to find both Kyuu _and_ Naruto wearing muzzles. He laughed. Fate seemed to have a sense of humor. At least in his opinion. 'Cause Kyuu and Naruto didn't think so. Hito settled down and closed his eyes.

It was time for that long awaited nap.

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"Naruto, Nii-san, come on!" Hinata said impatiently. (1)

"Wazzah?" Naruto mumbled, finally waking up and rubbing his eyes.

"We start at the academy today, don't you remember?" She rolled her eyes.

"Ah!" Naruto shot out of bed and got dressed in record time. Hinata giggled at her brother's antics as he scrambled about. After Hiashi had disowned her last year, Arashi had formally adopted her. Though their last names were legally Kazama, both Hinata and Naruto were going into the academy under the name of Uzumaki. Arashi didn't want it known that he was alive yet. A still giggling Hinata followed Naruto downstairs to the kitchen.

"What's for breakfast Dad?" Naruto asked brightly.

"Pancakes today," Arashi replied, before smiling. "And yes, Naruto, they have chocolate chips in them."

"YEAH! ALRIGHT!" Naruto yelled. Hinata giggled again and grabbed a plate.

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Neji Hyuuga was watching from the shadows as the new Academy students arrived. There was one in particular he was looking for. His cousin - or rather, ex-cousin Hinata. Hiashi had disowned her a year before but the Sandaime would not allow him to claim her dead for any circumstance. So Neji was told to wait at the Academy entrance to see if she would show up. If she did not, then no matter what the Sandaime said, Hiashi would declare Hinata Hyuuga dead to the world. Neji followed his logic for such a decision and didn't like it.

As Neji saw two figures come running up the street, he smirked, for Hiashi Hyuuga would never get that pleasure. Hinata was indeed alive and very well. He turned and silently glided into the building before him, his class starting at the same time as his ex-cousin's.

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"Hurry, Naruto!" Hinata called, running to the Academy entrance. "We're going to be late!"

"Not…at the rate…we're running," Naruto huffed half asleep. Naruto was running out of breath showed you how far away their house was from the academy. Pretty damn far, really. Though for some reason Hinata didn't show any signs of being tired at all. Naruto attributed it to her being a morning person. Usually, when awake and ready to go, he could out do her easily.

They started searching for their class the moment the two of them got into the academy starting on the first floor and moving up to the second floor steadily. For some reason all the teachers and instructors glared at Naruto viciously…till they saw Hinata glaring back at them with just as much venom while Naruto seemed oblivious. Hinata's glare was the scariest thing in the universe in Naruto's opinion, no contest at all. The two of them finally got to the right class and took their seats just as their teacher came in.

The man smiled at them all and took roll. Before he even finished, Naruto was asleep, his desk partner not far behind him.

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Sarutobi sighed as he picked up his grandson and followed Hiashi Hyuuga who was currently storming through the halls of the academy like a man possessed...Okay, the only reason Sarutobi knew he was upset was because he knew the man well enough to tell. And right then Hiashi was a little pissed that his daughter Hinata was out of his reach. Sarutobi hid a smile with his large brimmed hat.

Hiashi had come to the school demanding to see Hinata. From there he was led to courtyard where she was having lunch with another child, her bento box full of silly looking food.

As he approached her he was stopped by a Chuunin telling them that if he wanted to talk with her he had to be in the presence of the Hokage. He flushed a little at the man's interference.

So after glaring at the Chuunin, whose name was Iruka, he set off for the Hokage tower and demanded to see the Hokage himself. The demand was imperious at best and the ANBU had barely restrained from throttling the man where he stood.

He argued with the Hokage for a while who very kindly reminded him that he _had_ disowned Hinata and therefore she was no longer his daughter. In any form.

He was also informed that her it was adoptive father, whose name was apparently an S-Class secret, who would not allow him to talk with her unless the Hokage was present.

All in all, this pissed off Hiashi Hyuuga beyond his limits of patience. Way beyond. Which meant Fate was happy with herself. The sun was shining brightly for days afterward.

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Hinata nearly giggled when she saw Hiashi come into the courtyard followed by Sarutobi holding Konohamaru. Hiashi seemed a little upset, his legendary calm crumbling bit by bit.

"'Nata! 'Ruto!" Konohamaru called before squirming his way out of Sarutobi's arms and running to them. He giggled and held his hands up to Hinata. (2)

"Hinata," Hiashi spoke coldly.

"Hiashi," Hinata spoke in the same tone. Naruto stifled a snicker at the look of absolute disbelief before Hiashi recovered.

"You will address me as sa-" Hiashi started with authority and anger in his controlled voice.

"Pardon my interruption," Hinata said bitingly, almost bitterly. "But it is not _your_ decision on how I _address_ you. You have done _nothing_ to deserve any respect in my eyes and therefore will not be addressed as sama by me or my brother. You want someone to suck up to you, go find Hanabi." Hinata turned from Hiashi and started to play with Konohamaru a grin on her face.

Hiashi turned and marched stiffly away, his eye twitching. When he was out of hearing distance, Hinata and Naruto shared a look before laughing out loud.

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Four Years Later

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"Alright class, I have your genin team assignments here," Iruka chuckled with evil intent in his eyes. "Team one…" Naruto and Shikamaru were both taking naps, Naruto drooling lightly on the desk top. Hinata and Choji would fill them in on team assignments later. But that didn't mean they weren't going to be teased afterwards.

"Team Seven. Shino Aburame, Ino Yamanaka, and Sasuke Uchiha." Sasuke's eye twitched, Ino cheered (and stuck her tongue out at Sakura) and, if you looked really, really close, you could see Shino twitching too. They, other than Ino, were not very happy.

"Team Eight. Sakura Haruno, Kiba Inuzuka, and Choji Akimichi." Sakura sighed, Kiba looked like he wanted to bang his head on the table, and Choji just continued eating his chips. This one might not work too well...

"Team Ten. Shikamaru Nara, Hinata Uzumaki, and Naruto Uzumaki." Hinata smiled slightly while Shikamaru and Naruto both snored at the same time. She hid a grin behind her hand and locked eyes with Kiba, smirking at him coyly.

"You're jounin sensei will be here after lunch." Iruka dismissed the class and walked outside to the training area. Hinata grabbed her bento and pulled Naruto and Shikamaru up by their collars and shook them.

"Wake up, you two. Time for lunch and I think we need to get to know one another better. And I want to waylay team eight and seven. They need to learn about each other, too."

Naruto growled. "I don't care..."

Hinata smacked him upside the head with a sisterly swat."Come on, kit, get going. Kiba, Choji, Sakura, would you like to eat lunch with us?"

Kiba and Choji jumped on the chance to eat Hinata's cooking (apparently she was very good for her age...And with the help of Arashi of course) and Kiba dragged Sakura along behind them as she sighed.

Hinata looked at the remaining three friends, though calling the stoic Shino, the rude Ino, and emo Sasuke friends was a bit much, and motioned them over with a smile. She had packed enough food to feed a small army for today, her bento boxes nearly double their usual amount.

"Hinata! What cha' got for us today, huh?" Kiba leaned over the boxes, his nose twitching eagerly.

Choji nodded and inhaled the scent of good food, his mouth watering. It might not be up to Akimichi standards, but it was damn close! Shino and Sasuke sat close enough to get some food, but not near enough to actually be engaged in conversation. Of course, Sakura and Ino commendered either side of the Uchiha who tried unsuccessfully to move away. Shikamaru took his place under a tree in the shade, a bento half empty already.

Naruto was of course stirring up trouble with someone...Hinata shook her head.

"Stupid dog-breath!"

"Stupid dobe!"

"Dog-breath!"

"Dobe!"

"Dog-breath!"

"DOBE!"

"I don't know if it's worse when you argue with Kyuu and Hito-kun or with Kiba."

"But Hinaaaataaaaaaaaaaaaaa! He started it! Tell her, Sasuke-teme!"

"Don't call me 'teme', dobe."

"TEME!"

"Hn."

"OW!" Naruto had two lumps gracing his head thanks to Ino and Sakura, both of which were fuming and yelling at the blond. Hinata saw her Nii-san flinch at the hateful words but watched as he smiled with "the-light-was-on-but-no-one-was-home" look used to keep burglars away...Empty but convincing if you didn't look too hard or too long. His eyes darted to her and away almost guiltily.

When the two girls ran after Sasuke, as he had escaped while they were distracted, Naruto turned his conversation to Shino and Choji, drawing them in regardless of their usual somber or noisy stuffing respectively. They covered topics from simple foods that the kikaichu could eat to energy and chakra and how it was utilized by both young shinobi. And it appeared that Naruto had been playing with one of the bugs freaking out Choji and Kiba a bit. Hinata smiled kindly and just chatted with Shikamaru, learning about his jutsus was just too fascinating.

Naruto excused himself from his sister and teammates, running off quickly and Hinata sighed. Her Nii-san's crush on the pink-haired koniochi was rapidly becoming a sore point with them. She shrugged. He would not listen and he needed to know...Not that she wouldn't slap that little witch when she broke his heart, but Hinata really couldn't do anything yet.

Kiba and Shikamaru laid their heads in her lap for a nap, their time still good for close to an hour or so. Choji joined them, taking a spot near them with his head resting on Shikamaru's stomach. Hinata smiled at them and laid her head against the trunk at her back, the shadows of the tree cool in the near summer heat. She already liked them as friends, and now at least one of the boys was to become part of her team. Shino sat near her, his back to the same tree and basked in the warmth of the simple koniochi and the day.

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Naruto felt his stomach cramp with a sick realization: Sakura would never see _him_ with Sasuke bright in her eyes. Hell, she probably wouldn't see him with or without the Uchiha anyway. What was wrong with him, then? Was he that different to everyone? Or was some unimaginable thing wrong with him? He sighed and trudged away, his henge flickering off when Sakura couldn't see him anymore.

He made his way slowly to the academy and watched fondly as his sister slept with most of their graduating friends under a large oak. How could one girl bring such different people together, he would never know. He only wish he had half her talent...

Looking to the sky, he had about thirty minutes before he had to wake them up. Being silent and careful, he jumped into the tree and sat in a fork, watching his friends sleep quietly, calmly. Maybe one day he could sleep like that too, just with someone he loved and who loved him back.

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with the jounin instructors

Kurenai watched Asuma and Kakashi as they bickered and fought like little kids. Sighing, she brought them back on topic: the genin teams. "I still can't believe they split the Ino-Shika-Cho trio."

Asuma took the bait quickly. "I know! I mean, their parents are waiting for them to come home with that kind of news, not that they are on all different teams!"

"I just can't believe Naruto passed. He slept the entire time he was in class...I asked the Chunin instructor Iruka-sensei. And now one of us have to cater to the brat. He's caused so much trouble with his antics." Kakashi looked like he was half angry with the mask covering most of his face. He closed his orange book and sighed.

Kurenai shook her head. When a child half their age could hide easily from jounin and chuunin without getting caught...especially after the hokage mountain incident, he wasn't hopeless. "We all had pre-designed teams. I propose a simple idea. Why not teach the entire nine together? They of course would have missions and special treatment for whatever they needed to learn, but then we could work with the students we had aspired to do so since watching them enter the school."

Asuma looked pleased. "I want the Yamanaka, Akimichi, and Nara every second Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and every Saturday. I'll work with my original team everyday that I'm not working with the ISC."

Kakashi might have smiled, but it was hard to tell with the half mask covering his lower facial features. "I want exclusive rights to Uchiha every Saturday and Monday. I'll work with him and an edited team Wednesday and Friday. Every other day free will be for the original genin team."

"I personally want to work with the ex-Hyuuga girl and Aburame. The Inuzuka wouldn't be bad for reconnaissance either. I also like the Haruno girl, she's got potential and I want to work with her. We'll switch off every third Saturday for one day to impart our knowledge on these young minds. On Sunday we'll have a lecture and a practical."

The jounin shook hands and departed to round up their respective teams and then...have a little fun...

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(1) Hinata is the same age as Naruto but was born on December 27th, while Naruto was born on October 10th, so she's younger than him and calls him big brother.

(2) Konohamaru is currently four as Hinata and Naruto are eight.

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	3. Chapter 3

So sorry this was so late! My computer deleted two pages of the original document...And I literally cried. Stupid MAIKA! YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT TO ME! I OWN YOU! (I am of course going at my laptop like it has an intelligent response hidden in it's circuits somewhere) ...Anyway...Here is what I have left a bit revised and left to your enjoyment.

Keys of previous chapters apply for the rest of the story.

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"Um, I have the distinct feeling of being unwanted..." Naruto mumbled to himself as he watched Kakashi take off with Sasuke, Kurenai with Hinata and Sakura, and Shikamaru and Choji and Ino were off with the walking smoke cloud. Seriously, Asuma should get his lungs checked or somethin' in Naruto's opinion. Kiba just looked at the blond boy with a sneer. 

"Hey, baka, what'cha goin' on about?"

"I just know that I'm never going to be picked for special training. Call it a hunch, but the only reason you aren't with one of the instructors today is because Kurenai wants to have girl talk with Hinata and Sakura. Since both are seriously strong to begin with," Naruto shuddered in remembered pain from spares with Hinata and solid blows from Sakura, "she is probably telling them what a woman can use against men effectively for a few training sessions before taking you on as well.

"Kakashi wants to train Sasuke due to his affiliation to the Uchiha Clan. And of course Asuma just wants the easiest group to work with 'cause he's as lazy as a Nara and Ino, Choji, and Shikamaru have already been training together since they could walk."

"What about me?" Shino really wanted to know what Naruto thought about his placement in the instructors' highly improper division of the original teams.

"Well, Kurenai is reconnaissance. You would be perfect for such detail, so duh, she's going to take you on too. I thought you were smart, Aburame-san."

He shrugged at the blond. "I just wanted to hear your conclusion to the situation. It is quite remarkable that the 'dead last' has come to the answer so quickly," he remarked almost to himself. Naruto rolled his eyes at the bug-nin.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. I'm gonna train or somethin' before my brain melts from boredom."

"You have a brain? When the hell did that happen?" Kiba taunted. When Naruto ignored him, he tackled the other boy to the ground. Akamaru barked enthusiastically from the sidelines commenting on the 'fox's' inability to keep up with his superior master. Shino just watched with amusement glinting in his hidden eyes.

"You will _stop_ attacking me, Kiba! _I want to train, not be pummeled into the damned ground!_ Get _OFF!_" Kiba flew into the air and twisted to land on his feet easily. He grinned at the "Dobe" as he panted from the adrenaline rush. Naruto flipped him off and started running from the grounds to the nearest river, Shino and Kiba eventually following in an attempt to get the hyper-active blond to spar with them.

"_**You know, that mutt knows what you are. Even if the Inuzuka is oblivious to the fact."**_

"**He's right. And the Aburame and Nara will most likely find out about one if not both of us soon."**

"_Okay, so why are you telling me this NOW?"_

"_**Are you that dense?"**_

"_Apparently. Sheesh, you damned fox, stupid gaki. I can _think_ contrary to popular belief. They will find out one way or another no matter what. The story of the fox is used to keep children from causing trouble, you bakas. What makes you think that Hyuuga Neji won't notice the _odd_ chakra flowing off me in waves when I get pissed? And who's to say that some of the parents _haven't told _there precious babies what I am in some form or other? Come on, we live in a NINJA VILLAGE, people will find a way to make sure their next generation knows about me and avoid me like a plague."_ Naruto was ranting at his tenets, his overly-tired body feeling run down even as he tried to exude the "normal" hyperactive image. _"I have no idea when they will find out—and they WILL find out—but when they do, what am I supposed to do? Dammit, what the hell is wrong with my body?!"_

"_**You'll find out."**_

"_Buzz off!"  
_

* * *

_o.o_

"Kurenai-sensei, what about Kiba-kun, Shino-kun, and Naru-niichan? Why haven't one of the other instructors picked them?" Hinata watched with wide innocent eyes at the red-eyed woman before her. Damn, she was good at this. Kurenai felt guilty for a moment as those sad eyes that reminded her of opals and pearls pouted cutely with that lip.

"We," she pointed at the girls and then herself, "need to have a discussion that must take place soon. As women, we are able to do things men cannot and to reveal all our secrets to them is just not prudent!" There, that should ally her stress for a moment...Or not. Hinata just got teary-eyed and Kurenai felt herself melt. Sakura was standing and staring at her companion a look of complete adoration there.

"KAWAII!" Sakura squealed as she threw her arms around Hinata. "We'll find out what happens to them, don't worry, Hinata-san! (1)"

Unbeknownst to them, Inner (or Black) Sakura was squealing in all her fan girlish delight at the adorable girl with pale eyes and dark skin. She was so going to make a chibi doll of her now.

Kurenai felt herself sweating with the irresistible urge to tell Hinata everything she wanted to know. She new she was going to take over Shino and Kiba within the next week or so, but the Uzumaki boy...She couldn't even remember his name being mentioned in the negotiations. She almost felt guilty...again.

Well, she had seen him fight and his moves were good and all, but still a bit sloppy. He liked using the terrain to bounce off and surprise people with unexpected attacks from all angles, not just up or down, left or right, front or back. Gai would be good for him. So would a few hours with Asuma because, even if he was a lazy and black-lunged ass, he was a smart ass. (2) Then there was a few other jounin that owed Kurenai a lot of favors even from way back in their academy days. It was time to make them pay up.

"I've got quite a few ideas about Inuzuka and Aburame on this temporary team, and Uzumaki is on a list of people I have favors with. He'll get an education that will rival the Hokage-sama's when I and my companions are through with him!" The _Grin of Terror_ that lifted her lips made Hinata's puppy-eyes brighten with unshed (and quite fake) tears.

* * *

Choji was stuffing his face with Bar-B-Que ribs and pork chops. Ino grimaced at her friend and turned back to being bored. Shikamaru appeared to be asleep except for the placing of Shogi pieces on the board as he played Asuma who had dango hanging from his mouth on one side and a cigarette on the other. 

"So, Asuma-sensei, what becomes of Naruto?"

Asuma moved a piece before answering Shikamaru. "I don't really know. Maybe Kurenai was supposed to take him on...?" he half mumbled to himself. Shikamaru nodded as if he expected that answer.

"So, while Kiba and Shino are made better reconnaissance players, Naruto is the forgotten piece on the board expected to make the win without being moved across the playing field. Makes sense with the fact that nearly everyone hates him." He moved his piece. "And Kakashi-sensei has Sasuke alone because he's supposed to be a prodigy. Well, that sucks." Asuma said nothing as he moved his piece making Shika look over the board carefully for ten seconds. "So troublesome." He picked a neglected piece and moved it forward.

"What did Naru do other than play a few harmless pranks on the village? Bothersome people..." With that final move, he won the game and Asuma pouted in his booth seat.

"Too damn smart for your own good, that's what you are." Asuma reset the pieces and they started again with him going first this time for no apparent reason.

"Yeah, why does the entire village hate Naruto, Asuma-sensei?" Ino looked at the man trying to get him into any kind of conversation to stave off the boredom. "I mean, yeah, the blond pumpkin is a pain in the ass, but that's not good enough to treat him like that. It's not fair!"

Choji shrugged. "Life's not fair, but that doesn't mean you give up. You know that."

"Yes, but this level of hostility is uncommon. Other than Hinata, he has no one outside his family. Even we, his classmates, have ignored him to great extent on the orders of our parents. They say Hinata is a fine example of a shinobi after she has been _disowned_ by her own _father_. Double standards in my opinion."

Asuma sighed in defeat. "Well, I was thinking on calling in some payment..."

* * *

T-T

"Sensei, if all have been picked to my calculations, what will become of Uzumaki?"

"Kurenai has already expressed a like for her and her abilities."

"You are deliberately ignoring Uzumaki Naruto, are you not?"

Kakashi blinked at the rude stare. "Now where would you get an idea like that?"

Sasuke's eyes glared into the single dark eye and Kakashi shrugged. "I don't know what you are talking about. I'm sure the others two have him set up, but if it makes you feel better, I'll ask a few people who owe me something or other to help train him when he's not holed up with Asuma or Kurenai, okay? Now, can we resume our training?"

Sasuke grit his teeth but he eventually let his stance relax into an active one.

* * *

(1)- Hinata is still thought of as Sakura's better. As -san is a suffix associated with older people or important people, I thought I would make some kind of distance in association to the other shinobi and use this to show ... Well, you'll find out later. 


	4. Chapter 4

AN: OKAY! Naruto is going to be very rude and grumpy...YEAH! So, yes, bad words that grownups use are in use. And because putting warnings at the top of my chapters might be a good idea, here ya go.

**WARNINGS:** Language, flirting, implied slashhet and implied slash groping from a canine's point of view.

* * *

Naruto sighed. It was the second week and he still was practicing by himself! Okay, so Kurenai had said he was going to be Ibiki's lab rat for the next three months (meaning 4 AM wake up calls...or so she said. It still hadn't happened) and that six hours of every other Monday and Friday were his. Apparently the senseis had a schedule for every second week for the original teams to participate together...which was okay, but that made the teams weaker, didn't it?

Of course, today was the first day that Nara and Inuzuka were supposed to teach him, and of course they could be late and/or no-shows, but that was yet to be determined. By...? How late was it? He looked at the sky, the sun already well past noon and into the late afternoon. What really got him was, though, was the fact that the laziest damn Nara he had ever seen, besides Shikamaru, was working with the terrifying and feral Inuzuka matriarch...together and without visible restraints. That was bound to blow up.

"DUDE! You still not training?"

Kiba...just what he needed right now. His head thumped repeatedly on the bridge rail, Kiba wincing from the painful sound. "Sorry I asked. I guess you're waiting for someone who hasn't showed?"

"Not yet..." was the only thing Kiba could make out clearly amongst the mumbles even if he caught "psyco..." and "fucking stupid..." several times. He probably didn't want to know. "So, who are you waiting for, dude?"

Something like "Nara bastards" and "flee-bitten Inuzukas" came from the general area of the blond's head making Kiba quirk his eyebrow. He knew his mom was taking on a loose disciple (1), but he would never in a million years think it would have been Naruto.

"Inuzukas are always fifteen minutes late unless it is very serious. If you have a Nara coming, other than Shika's mom, they are always late," Kiba shrugged at the blond boy before thinking something possitively evil. Why not take him to the Inuzuka compound to meet his mother? True, she was a bit--eh--insane, but what ninja wasn't? Akamaru chuckled at his friend, barking his response. Kiba rubbed his hands together.

Naruto's _**Someone Evilly Plots **_(SEP) sense was going off furiously. Kiba was up to something that would get _him_ in trouble while Kiba tried to get away scott-free.

_**"You know, this is about to get...interesting in a way I wasn't aware of,"**_ chuckled Kyuubi in a smug voice.

**"Hm, you know, I think I LIKE being stuck here now. This is MUCH more fun than being stuck as a dead guy,"** Hito snickered into Kyuubi's side. **"Seriously, I can't believe the shit you get yourself in!"**

_"Go fuck each other!"_

_**"HEY!"**_

"What are you thinking, Kiba?" His tone was rude, suspicious. He glared, pouting cutely.

Kiba smirked gleefully. "You're coming with me!" He grabbed Naruto's arm well before he thought to move, dragging a protesting, furious demon vessel along merrily.

"KIBA! YOU ARE SO _DEAD_!"

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Kiba poked his mostly silent fellow ninja. "Oi, dobe!"

"I'n NOT a DOBE, you bastard dog-breath!"

Kiba shrugged. "My mom sould be around here somewhere," he murmured more to himself than Naruto, but the blonde caught the words anyway.

"Your _mom_ is my sensei?" he asked in disbelief.

"Dude," Kiba looked him over, "think about it. My Ma is clan leader. How many females, konoichi or not, can claim that?"

"Ah..." Naruto thought it over, combing through his memory. "Huh." He crossed his arms. "Oh! I do know one. There is an obscure clan on the edge of the village, the Tamashii (2) Clan. Tamashii Momiji is the leader...sweet girl, too, but a terrible temper when you finally get on her nerves." He smirked gleefully with the thought of actually being one of the few to walk away from her unscathed if a little bruised. "Has a cute kid, too. Kagura is the heir of the family and a bit young to be so still. Think of Shino as a girl with green hair and dark skin."

Kiba's brows met his hairline. "And the rest of us don't know about them...why?"

"Cause Kagura asked me to keep the knowledge low-key. The clan is not well liked or respected by the village," Naruto shrugged. Murmuring more to himself than Kiba, he thought out loud: "At least I have some protection from the villagers with Jiji watching me, way more than they do. I mean, the entire village would go 'mob mentality' and butcher the entire family!"

"BUTCHER THEM?!"

"Shut the hell up!" Naruto hissed at the dog-nin. His hand was slapped over Kiba's mouth, crushing Kiba's lip into his teeth. "No one can know! If you want to know their blood limit, fine, but don't say anything. Oath?"

Kiba licked Naruto's hand causing the blond to squirm and blush. "Don't do that...Damn it, promise your oath!"

The dog-nin nodded, rolling his eyes at the others antics. Naruto removed his hand and grimaced at the wet streak on his palm. "So what is this "_big_" secret?" Kiba mocked.

"They can...they can take away someone's soul," he whispered in Kiba's ear.

"Wait, wait, wait...WHAT?!" Kiba said in a strained voice.

"Yeah."

"And you piss them off?"

Naruto rolled his eyes this time. "Duh, dog-breath."

"DON'T CALL ME DOG-BREATH, YOU DOBE BRAT!"

"BASTARD DOG-BREATH!"

"I'LL GIVE YOU BASTARD, YOU LITTLE RUNT!"

"DIE, YOU FUCKING DOG BASTARD!"

Of course, this meant war. Kiba pounced on the smaller ninja, his momentum taking them both down. Naruto got in a deft jab to hiss ribs, making him his in pain. Kiba tried to knee him in the crotch, missing but knocking the breathe out of Naruto. They continued this way, rolling on the ground, biting, hitting, pulling until someone pulled them both up and away. Kiba and Naruto panted hard, rubbing various wounds that still hurt.

"I knew you would be trouble, but this is beyond anything I imagined," a feminine voice growled quite dangerously.

Kiba "eeped" from beside Naruto, and the blond knew something was terribly wrong. A large black beast that could have been a canine of some sort sniffed at him, snorting. Naruto couldn't tell if it was with contempt or amusement, but he was hoping the dog liked him. Seriously, he had never seen a dog that big before!

"Hi, Mr. Dog," Naruto whispered, holding out his hand and hoping it wouldn't be bitten off. "Please don't eat me!" A large nose snuffled his fingers before pulling away.

"I like you, kid," growled a deeper, obviously male, voice sounding like gravel rubbing together.

"I guess that settles it then, kid. You're now my disciple!" crowed the female voice. With Naruto and Kiba still hanging from their belts, they were carted off inside the tall wooden gates. Kiba shared a look with the blond, both dreading what was coming.

"I think we are now officially dead," whimpered Naruto.

"Ditto, dude," Kiba whined quietly.

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"I can't believe it," Nara Shikaku stated lazily. He looked over the Shogi board, moving a piece forward. "I mean, how did that brat make that much of an impression on you and your mutt within ten minutes?"

"Kuromaru is not a mutt! You are stupid sometimes, Nara!" Tsume growled. "Anyway, that Kyuubi kid actually talked to Kuro-kun like he was human. Admittedly, he was near pissing his pants with fear, but he did do it." She tapped her chin with a finger, one hand tucked under her other arm. "And I like him. Kiba is kept on his toes with him. Have you ever seen him fight? I mean, he flows thorugh the moves, and yes he is basic, but has an impressive imagination and combinations and is unpredictable! Kiba only hit him three times!"

Shikaku dropped his piece before picking it back up with a bored yawn. "Only three times?"

"They were going at it for ten, fifteen minutes! I call that a new record."

"Fifteen minutes? Only three hits? What is with that boy?" Shikaku wondered drolly.

"That's what you," she pointed at Shikaku, "and I are going to find out. We might not be able to do much, but we're going to keep him busy."

"Oh, goody," he drawled.

"Hey, I think he's a good kid. I'm an animal, and the most terrifying thing I smelled or sensed _bad_ about that boy was the fact that he has two foreign scents." Kuromaru shrugged his broad shoulders, his tongue flopped out of the side of his mouth.

"_TWO?_"

"Duh, Tsume. Ka--!" Kuromaru snapped his jaws together. "Never mind, but think, woman. There's Kyuubi, of course. Now, you need to find out who the other one is." With his little mystery in place, Kuromaru left to keep the "pups" company. Seriously, leaving the fox blond with the hot-headed Kiba he happened to call pup was trying to mix oil and vinegar. They could work together, but they would never mix well if at all. Maybe he should get the oil to change a wee bit...He snickered at the evil thoughts running through his brain. If only they could read his perverted thoughts...

"What the hell is your problem, KIBA!"

_Ah, the sound of domestic fighting already..._

"Heh, this is fun."

"KIBA!" Scrambling sounds and a thud.

"Come on, Naruto. You have the funniest look on your face when I do that. Of course I'm gonna do it again." Flesh on flesh sound. "Ow!"

"That is so gross! Quit IT! NOW!"

Slurp! "Ewww! Kiba!"

"Heh, heh, heh. Oh, Kami, stop!" Bump, bump, thud, bump.

"Bastard..."

"But its funny!"

Slurp! "HEY!"

"Told ya," Naruto's voice growled.

Slurp! Sluurp! "DAMN IT! I'll make you stop that..."

Growl, slurp, snap. "OW! I didn't bite you!"

Kuromaru peeked around the corner at the two boys. He nearly laughed out loud. Naruto had Kiba pinned and was biting his shoulder, and quite hard from the looks of it. He felt Tsume come up behind him silently, her peeking around the door frame. She brought her hand up and muffled her almost silent snickers. Backing back into the hall, she straightened and gathered a stern air and face around her, the smile leaving her mouth even if her eyes were brighter than usual.

Before she reached the door, she heard: scramble, thud, bump, bump, growl, slurp, snap! "OW! KIBA, IF YOU DON'T LET ME GO RIGHT NOW, I'M GONNA GELD YOU IN YOUR OWN HOME!"

She bent over laughing so hard, she could barely stand. The short snuffling snort from Kuromaru didn't help her any.

"What the hell is goin' on?"

Shikaku glared into the hall, slumping his way forward. He choked on his cigarette, eyes wide at the position he saw the two youths in. If he wasn't sure, he would say that that would have been very compromising. Then what Naruto bellowed (did anyone in Konoha _NOT_ hear that?) registered and he had an acute attack of a coughing fit interspersed with hearty guffaws. This just might be worth getting off his ass for!

"So, when were you going to tell me you had picked a mate?" Kuromaru said with a heavily choked voice. His doggy face was curled in a wide, tooth-baring grin.

"Oh, KAMI, NO!" Kiba jumped back as if burned and turned his back to the group. Naruto struggled to sit up, rubbing his offended flesh. His fingers became sticky-wet and he turned to Kiba.

"YOU BASTARD! YOU BROUGHT BLOOD!"

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Shino, along with Hinata, Sasuke and Shikamaru (sipping water from a bottle), peeked in on the dual training session. Shino had already left enough sentries around the training ground that the small group wouldn't get caught, so he relaxed and enjoyed the show of Kiba having his ass handed to him without Akamaru there to back him up. It truly was a sight to behold.

"That is the dobe? When did he learn to fight?"

Shikamaru and Shino threw a contemptuous look at the raven-haired boy. Hinata took it upon herself to smack him soundly on the head, making him flounder for balance.

"If you would watch and observe instead of trying to rid yourself of him, you'd see what I've known all along. Whether I live with him or not, he still pulls moves I've never seen when he needs to." Hinata folded her arms under her small, still developing breasts and stuck her chest out in challenge.

Sasuke rubbed his head but kept silent. Hinata wouldn't stop to think before lighting after him.

Shino turned back to watch the blond take a flying leap, stepping on Kiba's head lightly and balancing there before...doing something he had never seen before. Kiba was face down with Naruto hovering over his struggling form.

"That was for biting me, dog-breath! And this," he leaned over Kiba, his arm on the back of Kiba's neck, "is for bringing blood!" He bit Kiba hard on the neck, blood welling non too gently from the force. Kiba howled bringing Akamaru, Tsume, Shikaku (Shikamaru was choking on his water at this revelation), and Kuromaru outside to see the boys in a very distressing position.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!" Tsume, always the one to make first judgement. She was not happy right now.

Naruto jumped away, twisting to land feet first. Kiba stumbled upright, pale with an unnamed emotion. The blond looked back and forth, a feeling of dread making his sholders hunch defensively. He slunk into the shadow of a tree, only the brilliance of his clothing outlining his form. "What did I do wrong? We were sparring, playing around. I just got him back for the time he brought blood."

Shino watched Tsume stiffen, then relax with a rueful smile that barely tipped her lips. Shikaku just shook his head, rubbing a hand down his face in resignation. The two canines looked amused, even if Akamaru vibrated with worry for his companion and friend. Hinata and Sasuke were very confused at the adults' and Kiba's behaviour. Shikamaru was putting the peices together, Shino only sighing and resisting the urge to either pound: 1) his head into the truck of the tree he was using, or 2) Naruto into the ground for his complete lack of knowledge.

He did have to concede that he only knew because the Aburames had gone on missions with the Inuzukas several times in the past for recon and stealth missions. Apparently, the times that _that_ hold had been used, the Inuzukas have had a little girls and boys running around the compound nine months later.

He grabbed Sasuke, his hand over the other boy's mouth. Shikamaru followed his lead, hauling Hinata up and away. They met on the wall, Shino dropping Sasuke like a sack of rocks on the hard surface. Hinata was set a little more gently on her feet, smiling gratitude at Shikamaru. She picked her way delicatly along the thick barrier, plopping in Sasuke's lap before he could lunge at the stoic bug-nin. Ignoring the growl on anger, she picked a question: "Okay, boys, what's going on, and why do I feel like this just got all kinds of weird?"

Shikamaru looks at Shino, who nods, and sighs in a tired "I'm getting too old for this" kind of way. "What I got was that Naruto more or less put a mating mark on Kiba--"

"MY BROTHER IS NOT ALLOWED TO MATE UNTIL HE IS MARRIED WITH CHILDREN!" Hinata felt the urge to add in a deafening roar.

"And now they are mates, according to Inuzuka _and_ Konoha law. That does not mean that they are bound indefinitely; the mate prospect can be obsolved in five years, they just have to abstain thorughout the heat," Shino finished for him quietly.

"'Heat'? WHAT DO YOU MEAN HEAT?!"

"That's what I'm trying to understand," grouched Shikamaru.

"Oaths."

Sasuke, Hinata, and Shikamaru stared at the bug-nin hard. "Why?" asked Shika.

"Oaths, then I will disclose my information," he stated calmly.

"Hn," Sasuke calmly sliced his palm, holding out his hand for Shino to take. Shikamaru followed suit, Hinata barely hesitating before stealing Sasuke's kunai and cutting her own palm.

Shino performed several hand signs before taking a sampling of each blood and drawing charaters on a scroll. With a flourish, he tipped his own hand, blood dripping to be absorbed into the dry parchment-like cylinder. It was done.

"The reason that the mating bond is so secreted is for the Inuzukas' safety. If anyone had ambitions to take over such a large and fearsome clan, all they would have to accomplish is to mark their intended victim. The victim will then seek that being out, either to carry the offender's child or to impregnate the offender. Or, in very rare cases, if a person is young enough, the bond is not sexual but more of a parental or family oriented bond. Luckily for us, Naruto and Kiba are both much too young to worry about heat just yet. So, all we have to worry about is Kiba following you and Naruto home to be close to his bonded...brother, friend, companion, or whatever other compacity he veiws the blond in."

Hinata breathed a sigh of relief. Her brother wasn't _Mate_ bonded, just bonded some other way. Okay, maybe that wasn't as comforting a thought as she hoped it would be, but at least she didn't have to listen to those two rut in Naruto's room just down the hall from her. Then again...She blushed at her thoughts.

Sasuke made to get up, but remembered he couldn't with a certain female in his lap. He poked her in the side. "Get up!"

She made a face at him, bounding up and dancing around the group of boys. "Since training is over for us, I'm gonna go tell Dad that Naruto won't be home till later. You guys be good, okay?" She grinned and "poofed" out, leaves swirling delicately where she once stood.

Shino shook his head. One of these days, he was going to find out _where_ and with _whom_ she lived with. If only she would quit doing that!

Shino left his two brooding companions to themselves and made it back to the training grounds. His brows rose as he came within sight of the wooden fence. Naruto was ping-ponging around the grounds using trees, rocks, the fence and ground for leverage as Kiba tried to pummel him into the ground with Akamaru at the dog-nin's side. And pummel they did, when Naruto tripped over the white puppy sending him to the ground. Kiba pounced, not pulling his strong blows, and forcing the smaller blond to try and fight while pinned.

Naruto managed to flip them, Kiba laying flat, Naruto stradling his prone form. Tsume came into veiw, taking Naruto's hand and pulling him up. Kiba was pulled up by Naruto, a strange move for the very affectionate family. Usually, Tsume would reach for Kiba as soon as Naruto was up, but it seemed as if she was actually reluctant to touch her own son. Kiba didn't even seem to notice, though, so Shino wouldn't make anything of it until he had more information. That didn't mean he would leave it be.

Slipping back to the ground, he made his way to the front of the Inuzuka compound, knocking lightly on the door. Someone bellowed from the otherside while several dogs barked. A wild looking man with two red stripes across his nose and two fang-like curves going down his cheeks, one on each side, opened the door, a large brown mutt sticking his head between the man's legs. "Who are ya?" he growled.

"Aburame. Tsume-sama knows me. I wish to speak to Tsume-sama about Kiba-san and Uzamaki-san."

The man disappeared, his companion standing guard at the still open door. Shino waited patiently, his years of conditioned stillness keeping him from jumping when Tsume appeared with Kuromaru in tow.

"You called, pup?"

"Yes," he bowed to her formally, waiting until she tilted her head in aknowledgement. "I happened to witness this afternoon's altercation. I would like to discuss the problematic scenerios before it gets out of hand."

Tsume grabbed him and hauled him inside, slamming the door with a echoing bang. Taking a firm grip on his wrist, she dragged his unresisting body through several halls, peeking into one room before shoving him in. "Stay. Sit. I'll be right back."

Shino studied the room he had been deposited in, wondering at the lack of furniture. There were three chairs, one very much over-sized and throne-like, the others more life poufs with legs. He chose one pouf the color of fresh earth, sitting gingerly. A large wolf-like canine trotted in and deposited his (it was definintely male) lanky form on the other pouf, part of one ear missing. Tsume soon followed, Kiba with her.

Kiba looked sharply at Shino before Shino simply shrugged and nodded. Kiba rolled his eyes, settling on the pouf next to the bug-nin. Tsume raised her brows but made no comment. Naruto came in moments later, looked around, nodded to Shino and pulled himself up behind both of the other boys, curling up and laying his head down. Shino raised his glasses back onto his nose before turning back to Tsume. "What is going on?"

Tsume rubbed her face feeling drawn out to the point of breaking in less than four hours. That Uzamaki boy sure kept _everyone_ on their toes. "You saw, correct?"

Shino nodded.

"Kiba and Naruto...Um, the boys are--"

"Tsume-san, you suck at this," mumbled the blond.

The Inuzuka matriarch huffed. "Well, if you're so slick, _you_ tell him what's going on."

"Fine." He sat up with a yawn, rubbing his eyes, "Kiba is my bonded. I'm _his_ bonded, too, now. It hurts Kiba to be touched by anyone other than me right now ("And we don't know why..."). Hush, Kiba. Anyway, unless I initiate someone into the bond, touching is off limits..." He yawned loudly, his jaw cracking from the strain.

"Initiate into the bond?"

"Mm, hm."

"What is the meaning of it?"

"Not sure," Kiba grumbled. "It just pisses me off."

"I said I was sorry! I didn't even know that it was possible!"

Kiba stuck his tongue out at the blond. Naruto shook his head and lay down again. He was so tired! If Kyuu and Hito didn't fessup soon, he was going to kick their lazy asses from Konoha to Suna.

Kiba looked at him worriedly as did Shino. The blond was never complacent, and the blatant refusal to take the bait Kiba so _sweetly _(Shino really had to stop himself from rolling his eyes) put out made them tense. Something was going on with the spastic blond, and everyone in Konoha would know it before the blond noticed most likely. Naruto wasn't stupid, but his observation skills concerning himself were less than perfect.

"Naruto," Shino whispered quietly, "what is wrong?"

"Doan know," he murmured more asleep than awake. "Jus' really s'eepy." He snuggled up close to Kiba and Shino, burrowing into the pouf. Shino frowned in worry, his face actually emotive in his distress. Kiba looked confused, his eyes clouded.

"Well, I shall thank you, Tsume-sama, for your hospitality and directness in answering my questions. If you will excuse me, I promised to get Naruto to Hinata," he blinked, the lie not even detectable to the Inuzuka woman.

He picked the dozing boy up, Kiba following him out of the compound with Akamaru skipping, tripping along behind. "I've never met anyone who could lie to my Ma's face, dude, but you are good."

Shino just nodded at the other boy.

"I need to learn that trick, but I bet it's your, er, what are those things anyway?"

"Kakaichu (3)," he stated simply.

"Yeah, those. Have any idea about blondie, here?" He tried very hard not to, but Kiba eventually put his hand on the blond's arm. This constant contact craving was going to be the death of him!

Shino looked over his glasses ever so minutely. "Contact issues?" If Kiba hadn't known him long enough, he would have had a heart attack at the teasing tone.

"Duh, bug-boy. It's that whole "scent transfer" thing. If he doesn't carry my scent, or I his, I'll either go A: insane within a month, or B: try to carry him off for seclusion. And get your mind out of the gutter, you ass. Our bond isn't that way...hopefully."

Shino smirked behind his coat. "Hopefully."

"Aw," Kiba looked at Shino. "You are a Grade A ass, Shino. Grade A!"

* * *

(1) disciple - not an apprentiance, which has no choice in what they learn, but a willing participant that can refuse to learn techniques and are NOT allowed to learn the master's signature move without the master's approval (if I remember right. If not, tell me and I'll fix this note. **:'3**)

(2) Tamashii - soul in Japanese

(3) I'm not sure if this is correct, but I think it is.

* * *

AN: Seven pages are enough for now. Usually, I have long chapters (ten-twenty pages), but with this story ping-ponging around the net from one email to another, I couldn't do that to my buds. And with my comp out of working order, well, this is all I could pull out of my hat. I hope you enjoy this twist. I had six endings for this story, now I've narrowed it down to five (not much better, but a little more workable) and am still thinking of where this could go. If you have suggestions, go for it. I'll appreciate the ideas and maybe be able to finalize the actual plot line. Seriously, the tree line (plot usually means one) needs to be delimbed. 


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:** Okay, I am so going to have to have people vote on this 'cause, seriously, I am growing frustrated. Still have five different endings, still have only one couple (not Kiba/Naru. I like, but no. And, no, Naru/Hina is NOT happening. That's like_ Eww_! They're brother and sister!), and _still_ have no idea how to cut the limbs off my tree. So...If any of you have an idea (het or shonen-ai, doesn't matter to me **or** a story idea) give me some inkling of what you are thinking. Okay, enough of my babbling, let the story commence!

"Dad! DAD! WHERE ARE YOU?" Hinata did not bellow, scream, or yell, but she could make her voice _carry_ like nothing else.

"...Kitchen," mumbled a distracted voice.

She grinned. Her dad was cooking again. Gliding through the house on silent feet, she took a chair at the bar connected to the rest of the counters and, of course, the oven-stove. Arashi was deep into his work, a new western style food being prepared. He growled as he sucked on his finger, giving puppy eyes at the burnt appendage. Hinata tried not to laugh at his antics and barely succeeded.

"Daddy, Naruto's bonded himself to Kiba."

"Mhmm."

"Shino-kun, Shika-kun, and Sasuke-teme saw it and know about it too."

"That's good."

"Naruto and I were having sex on the couch yesterday..."

"Mm. Yes, that's goooo—_**WHAT!?**_"

"Thought that would get your attention!" Hinata crowed as her dad turned to face her fully. "Now, that you are not distracted," she glared at the man as he glared back, "Naruto has been bonded to Kiba-niisan and he's going to be coming here to live until the bonding pull is gone. We need to figure out if it's wise to let his big mouth see you, or if we should put you under a genjutsu."

Arashi rubbed his face. "_How_ did Naruto bond himself to Kiba?"

"A bite to the back of his neck," Hinata stated calmly. Arashi groaned into his hands and Hinata had to hide her smirk. Served the man right for not telling his kids about things like that! "And Shika, Sasuke, _and_ Shino saw."

Arashi let his head hit the counter with extreme force. Hinata winced. _That had to hurt_, she thought cringing. "But I have one suggestion..."

"Wha?"

"Tell the Rookie Nine."

Arashi looked at this creature out to destroy him. How could such a cute, sweet looking girl...be so—so _evil_?

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Kiba had, in the end, taken Naruto from Shino and carried him through the town to the closest point that they knew Hinata's house was. Which really wasn't that close, to tell the truth. Kiba sighed. All he had wanted out of life was a great partner, a nice girl to settle down with when he was of age, and a few kids. Nothing special, even if he really wanted to be Hokage, and nothing that he couldn't achieve.

Until now.

"Don't look at Uzamaki-san like that, Kiba-san. He did not do the bonding on purpose."

Kiba looked up at the bug-nin like he was insane. "I don't blame him, I blame myself, my Ma, Fate...I just can't believe how simple life was until just an hour ago when all I had to worry about was if my companion would actually help me get this girl. What's a guy to do?"

"Live, grow, understand, and smile," an unexpected voice sang softly.

Hinata was there in front of them, her pale, pupil-less eyes bright with laughter. "Come on, its time you two met our dad. And for a few questions, I'll think!" She grinned mischievously...Oh, they knew they were so gonna regret this.

"What the hell right, Shino, dude?" Kiba grinned. He loved this kind of stuff.

Shino nodded reluctantly, following the koniochi as she drifted almost aimlessly along. Shikamaru and Sasuke met up with them at the edge of the village wall, both leaning against the wall without expression. Hinata tugged them both after her as she danced through the outer gates, her smile widening if that was possible. "Okay, boys, here is where you hang on to me." She grinned, folded her hands too fast to see and they were gone in a near silent **poff** of smoke and leaves.

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"I can't explain!"

Hinata looked at Arashi, her eyebrow rising well into her hair line. "Shouldn't that be _can_ instead of can't?"

"Well, no. I mean, I just disappeared right off the face of the earth for nearly thirteen years."

"You do know your mental right?" Naruto grumbled from his perch on the overly stuffed couch. He struggled to stay awake, his eyes almost completely closed. He yawned. Kami! He was so tired! He spared the other three completely dumbfounded rookie nin with a glance before feeling as if his head was ten sizes too big. Giving up for now, he closed his eyes, his body seeking oblivion even as his conscious mind drifted to Kyuubi and Hito-kun.

"_Guys?"_

"**Naruto!"** Hito exclaimed in alarm. It was settling in too fast!

"_**Naruto...What's wrong?"**_ Kyuubi was just a plain bastard,_ THE _Ass-Hole of the Universe, and a demigod-like creature with a temper, but he was _not a_ heartless demon.

"**It's the **_exchange_**! It's settling too fast for his body to cope and your power is too restricted right now to take the brunt of it,"** Hito explained quickly.

Kyuubi's eyes bulged. _**"No! I have never thought that this would happen...It's much too soon. We're going to have to do something—and quick—or Naruto won't live to see thirteen!"**_

"_Get Dad, then."_

"_**Yessss...I will have him informed."**_

"_By tha way—what _is_ an _exchange_?"_ Naruto asked blearily. Kami, his head was pounding...

"_**The **exchange** is—um, Hito, HOW do I explain something like THIS? There is no translation in any language that I know, and the Demon Common is, well, it's Demonic. Is it possible to somehow translate all of the necessary bits and leave the rest until later?"**_ Hito and Kyuubi shared a look of slight despair. The Demonic tongue didn't translate into Human Common...unless—**_"The Americans! They make up words all the time to explain things or to name or label actions, thoughts, illnesses, and such. It's perfect, but it'll take a few hours—or even days!—to translate it all. Sleep, kit. Rest and let your body be restored. Some of it is going to _**_hurt__** but you will be up and running in no time."**_

Naruto just rolled his eyes, snuggled close to the bars, touching fur and fire-like heat, and slept.

"**I'll inform our good boss what's going on, you just keep chakra running full speed ahead," **Hito whispered before forcing his chakra through the bars with a pained hiss. This was soooo gonna hurt later...

He opened his eyes, the blur of one, three, no, six people in the room. The one _he_ was concerned with was the tall blond man and his adoptive daughter. **"Arashi..."**

The blond looked at Naruto's face, and Hito knew he had to have noticed that the brown eyes were definitely not that cerulean blue of his beloved son. **"The **_exchange_**, it's come too soon. Ask Gamabunta the Toad Boss what that means,**" he whispered. With that, Hito let his head fall back down into the darkness of the blond child's mind with a sigh. Yeah, he missed being alive and all, but—damn it—he had taken to Naruto like he was his own kid!

Back with Kyuubi, the fox demon seemed sad for some reason. **"Oi, bush-tail, what's gotten you down and mopey?"**

"_**I am unable to heal the wounds, Hito-kun."**_

Shit! Something was really wrong if Kyuubi called him Hito-_kun_. **"Ah. Well, let me help. I might have been an ANBU, but I did know how to heal then, and I still do now. So, budge your wide load over and let me take a look, huh?"**

It took Kyuubi all of ten seconds to figure out that Hito had insulted the great demon. _**"You little ingrate, idiotic, prat-ish, stupidly minuscule maggot! Don't you dare call my ass a Wide Load!"**_

"**Oi, what would you call it then? It's ten times the size of a whale's ass, you douche!"**

"_**RARRWW! You bastard!"**_

"**Wide Load..."** Hito sing-songed.

"_**BASTARD!"**_

"**Wide Load."**

"_**Bastard!"**_

"**Wide Load."**

"_**PRICK!"**_

"**Wide Load..."** he sung.

"_**YOU, YOU, YOU—!"**_

"**At a loss for words?"**

"_**RARW!"**_

Hito chuckled. He so _loved_ teasing that big fur ball. He lay back against the bars, his hands buried in Kyuubi's thick fur, scratching behind the great beast's ears. Kyuu purred, closing red eyes in ecstasy.

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"You're the Yondaime Hokage..." Shino had been delicately maneuvered onto the couch beside Kiba, Shikamaru, and Sasuke. He was stunned. The man was _dead_. Or so he'd been told his entire life. Dead men did not offer tea and candied sweets.

"Yes, I would think so. But I retired a bit abruptly, I might say." His face was curved into a sly grin.

Hinata smacked her _dear_ father on the arm. "Oh, I swear, you are almost worse than Naruto, Daddy! Quit trying to scare my friends senseless or you'll be eating pickle relish for a month!"

Arashi looked down right horrified causing Kiba to burst out laughing, falling off the arm rest of the couch. Hinata looked at Arashi, Arashi looked at Hinata, then they started giggling. Hinata tried to hold it in but ended up hiccuping like a sick a hamster causing Arashi to guffaw. Shikamaru just shook his head, a small smile forming on his lips. Shino snorted so quietly anyone would be hard pressed to hear the small sound. This was just...

"...ridiculous," Sasuke snorted. He chuckled slightly, looking at the blond man with reserved eyes. He really did start laughing, though, when Hinata smacked the blond man upside the head with extreme force when he almost sat on Naruto. This guy was just too much.

He looked at Shikamaru and Shino, all three sharing looks of complete bemused amusement. No wonder Naruto was so loud and crazy if this guy was his dad. They just wondered how the title of Hokage had been given to such an unstable, clearly insane individual...Wait, never mind.

"So," Arashi asked as he stood, wiping tears from his face, "anymore sugar and caffeine laced food for my young guests?"

Shino shook his head in disbelief. No wonder Hinata was so loud and happy, her adoptive dad was as bad if not worse than she was. And Naruto, well, that was a given by now.

"Hey, um, Hokage-sama—" Kiba started but was interrupted by Hinata's giggle and Arashi's face of utter horror.

"Just Arashi, _please_," the blond man shuddered. "Hokage just sounds so, so _formal _and _old_."

Kiba just rolled his eyes. "Yes. Arashi-sama, what was that thing with Naruto a few minutes ago? I mean, his eyes were brown...and his emotions were really strange. Like there was someone else there..." Kiba trailed off with a terrified expression. "The _monster_..." was whispered through suddenly frozen lips.

Arashi studied him. "I'll talk to you alone, since you are the one to be bonded quite suddenly to my child. If you would please follow?" The blond man glided silently out of the room leaving one extremely confused Uchiha, a curious Nara, and one puzzled (though you would have to be able to read his mind to tell) Aburame. Hinata looked at her friends and sighed. This was sooner than even she suspected, but what the hell, right?

"Anyway! On to other topics: Tell no one, right? Right. Good, we've got that cleared right up. Time to get the rest of you home. I've got to cook supper and your parents might like you home. Sasuke will be walking back home with me, you two...BYE!" She touched their arms and they poofed out back to their previous point. Shino sighed and Shikamaru actually growled. This was getting old...


	6. Chapter 6

Ino, Shino, Sasuke -** Team 7**- _Kakashi_

Sakura, Choji, Sasuke - **Team 8 **- _Kurenai_

Hinata, Shikamaru, Naruto - **Team 10** -_ Asuma _

Tenten, Lee, Neji - **Team 9?** - _Gai_

KEY:

"_**KYUUBI TALKING TO NARUTO AND HITOGOROSHI.**_"

"**Hitogoroshi talking to Kyuubi and Naruto.**"

"_Naruto talking to Hitogoroshi and Kyuubi._"

_Naruto Thinking to himself..._

"Regular talking."

"_**Two or More (Hito, Kyu, andor Naruto) talking at once**_"

_:Akamaru, Kuromaru, or a dog/fox speaking:_

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:THREE MONTHS AFTER THE "incident":

"Hey, Naru-nii, wake up. Here's Hinata and Shikamaru-kun." Kiba gazed at his pseudo brother and sighed. Naruto had been getting worse and worse since the day he had collapsed at practice a month prior. Kiba, who had been bound to him, felt the immediate effects of it and both of them had been suspended from active duty. Of course, both worked hard with Arashi, bulking up on their genjutsu, taijutsu, and ninjutsu. Every once in a while, Jiji (the current Saindaime Hokage) would appear at the house to check on Naruto and Kiba, making remarks and talking in low tones with Arashi. Kiba felt nervous for days now but couldn't pin down the reason why...And Naruto was back to sleep again.

Hinata bound over to Kiba and hugged him. She'd taken it upon herself to make him feel like family, and she had succeeded quite well. Kiba now viewed her as his sister...which killed the prospective marriage that his mother had wanted. Well, too bad. He couldn't find it in himself to like Hinata quite that way. Ino, on the other hand, was one hell of a spit fire and a cute blond and--

"Kiba...you're ignoring me," Hinata pouted at him. "Do you not like me anymore? Am I not your sister now?"

Kiba was wet tissue paper in her hands when she did that face. Her eyes, always too big in her tiny face, went even bigger and wet with tears making him feel like a rabid and evil beast. How the hell did she _do_ that!? "Sorry, Nata-nee. I'm just worried for Naru-nii. He's getting worse and even got really sick this week. I think that whatever this is it is about to get much, much worse before it gets any better."

Hinata blinked at Kiba, her face worried. "Seriously?"

"Yeah..." Kiba blinked back at a sudden thought. "What happened to Sasuke?" Hinata giggled and grinned smugly at her almost brother. "Oh, do I want to know?"

"He said something about Naru-nii and I set him straight...with a few wires, three explosive tags and four kunai. If he gets out of that before I let him out, I might forgive him," she grinned in a way that Kiba was faintly reminded on his mother when someone was stupid enough to piss her off. It meant destruction if not actual painful death-like instances. Granted, Hinata was too cute to pull it off (yet) but she was starting to succeed in a scary way to make herself too innocent.

"Actually, I do want to know now. What the hell did he do and what did _you_ do about it?"

Hinata smiled in a dreamy way. "He was shooting off at the mouth that Naruto was a dead last, stupid brat allowed to pass on a default just to get rid of him from the academy. I showed him what Naru-nii had taught me about bad men: I tied his hands to his ankles, hung him from a tree like bait, and set seven different trip wires that either set off a tag bomb or released a kunai. He won't die if he sets them off, that I made sure of, but I did make sure every single one would hurt like hell!"

He frowned. "But won't he be able to get loose? I mean if his hands are touching his ankles and he's even facing his feet, all he has to...OH! You hog-tied him, didn't you?" Kiba shuddered even as he smirked. Sasuke, fortunately, was not his own teammate but he was a total bastard anyway. A good nin, yeah, but a bastard all the same. "So, when do you plan to release him?"

"After we check in with Hokage-jiji. He might let me leave him there for the night. Nothing but another ninja could get him, though unfortunately I couldn't leave him to be eaten by whatever beasts are in the forest. And has Papa-san introduced the fox to the toad?" Hinata was serious with her eyes wide in worry. Of course, she was talking about Naruto talking to Gamabunta (that's what Arashi called him) the Giant Toad. They couldn't say that out loud what they actually meant due to the Law but they could insinuate all they wanted to.

"No," Kiba shook his head then squawked when Akamaru ran up to him and jumped in his face. Kiba grabbed his partner up in a hug and sloppy puppy kisses. "Ah, he said he wanted to wait for you." He snuggled into the puppy's fur and sniffed the small white and brown dog. "Damn, I miss having you with me all the time, Akamaru. Has Ma finally caved?"

Akamaru whined. No, then. Naruto slumped up to them, his eyes drooping with exhaustion and his shoulders hunched in on himself. Akamaru barked a greeting and Naruto raised a hand in response startling Kiba and Hinata. The blond ignored that and shuffled up to Hinata, holding out his arms for a hug. Hinata pounced, knocking them both to the dirt street, her smile bright. Naruto responded in kind, his eyes glittering in happiness. He hated worrying about Hinata on missions and wished he himself could have been there.

"Any action?" Naruto asked softly. Hinata shook her head, "Not at all, Naru-nii. It was just a quick patrol around the furthest border with two boys…one that is still stinging from my handy work." She smirked at her brother and helped him back to his feet. "It was the one that you taught me to use for prolonged torture."

Naruto groaned in defeat. "I'll never hear the end of this once Dad finds out. He'll tie me to a tree and leave me for corrupting his little princess. GAH!" Naruto ducked another swat by hiding behind Kiba like a shield. "WHAT?!"

Hinata forced back the smile by virtue of her will. "I am not a blasted princess, squirt. I…am a Queen!" Naruto chuckled before he fell to the dirt on his ass, a black blur snuffling and tickling with his nose. Kuromaru was all but sitting on the small blond, his mouth in a canine smile. Tsume was nowhere to be seen, though.

"Kuromaru?! What the FUCK is wrong with you! Get off of me, you damned dog! Kiba! Get him offa me!" Naruto was wide awake now, his wide cerulean eyes glaring death at the dog sitting comfortably on his stomach and legs.

Kiba snickered, Akamaru barking in laughter on his head. Hinata was trying to keep standing even as she clutched her stomach in almost pain from laughing too hard.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. I gotta see Dad in a few minutes, if you don't mind, you giant hunk of dog meat! GET. OFF!" Naruto had Kuromaru's head in his hands, fingers pulling on the fur for emphasis. He growled at the blond but moved anyway, his eyes still glowing.

"Well, pup, I would like for you to come with me for a moment. There's this little one asking for you since she first saw you," Kuromaru barked a sharp laugh. "She's driving me and Aku-kun up the kennel fence with her ceaseless, senseless quiestions. I want _you_ to get her to shut the hell up!" Akamaru barked in agreement, his tail wagging like a white flag. "I just want you to get her out of our fur!" Kiba snickered at the black mutt, his one ear perking to catch the sound. "And you, pup, shut it."

Naruto slumped on his hands and knees and wobbled there trying to keep his mind focused on 'up'. Kuromaru ducked into the tiny space afforded him and lifted Naruto up onto his back making the blond clutch his dark fur hard to stay put. Kiba and Hinata jogged behind them, Akamaru perched comfortably on Kiba's head.

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"You have _got_ to be...Kidding ME. Tsume-sama! I am not an Inuzuka! I can't have a braty little mutt following me around like some lost puppy! No way, nononononononononono!" Naruto crossed his arms across his chest and pouted. Kiba was currently trying to keep his jaw from the floor and Akamaru whined in confusion. His cousin had picked a partner, one of the Inuzuka clan or not, and that was that. Why was his human brother's alpha protesting so much?

_:Kiba-nii, why is the alpha upset?:_ the tiny puppy yipped in confusion. Kiba shook his head at the pup with a shrug. He wasn't 100 in tune with his family's history, but this had to be a first since they had started the clan.

"I'm not sure, buddy. He's been sick for a while, too, so his mood ain't th' best in th' whole world. And we gotta hurry, Arashi-tou-san is waitin' for him," he murmured to just his partner. Kuromaru and Tsume heard, of course, but then again, they were ninja warriors seasoned and worthy.

"Yeah, well, this little girl _picked you_, Uzamaki Naruto. Get over it," she growled as she deposited the red colored pup in his arms with finalty. Naruto looked at the teeny-tiny little female with ill-concealed happiness and aggrivation. "Take care of her, blondie, she's a seventh generation pup, fourth cousin to Akamaru and grandneice of Kuromaru."

Naruto spluttered as he was forcefully pushed from the entry way into the front courtyard. Hinata and Kiba were hustled along with him, Akamaru darting out of the door before it slammed, Tsume talking a hundred miles an hour. "Be good, stay out of too much trouble and try not to get caught! Hinata, keep making all that good food and send me some of those famous cookies. Akamaru, keep an eye on Ichigo-chan, yes? Good, and be careful! BYE!"

The sudden silence seemed to be deafening after the loud "good bye" Tsume had graced them with just seconds ago. Naruto just stared at the puppy in his arms, Hinata stared at the door behind her, and Kiba just shook his head in hilarity. His mother had done it again. "Come on, Naru-nii, Nata-nee, we need ta move our asses if we're gonna get to Arashi-tou-san on time." He jerked Naruto along with him, the puppy jumping from his arms and running with Akamaru as they crossed the town as quickly as they dared without bringing Jounin or ANBU on their heads. Too fast and they were a threat to the village, slow enough and they were over looked by even the best. Hinata eventually transported them from the restroom of a resturant just under the Hokage Tower to meet Hinata's and Naruto's dad.

"Dad, where's this Gamabunta guy?" Naruto queried quietly, his voice sounding strained and tired. He sat with a plop where he had landed, his eyes drooping again even as two pups licked and drooled on his face. Hinata hugged him before "poofing" off to the tower at the same resturant and reporting in.

Arashi looked at his son with concern. It was speeding up...what ever it was. Sighing, he bit his thumb, forcing chakra to hold open the wound and slammed his hand down. A cloud of dust rose from the impact as a giant toad at least three stories high formed into existence. He was smoking a pipe like Jiji liked to, a traditional kimono drapped over his rounded shoulders with a wooden staff like thing on his back. All in giant size, of course. "What do I owe this summoning, Kazuma-kun? Certainly, I could have met your whelp at some...other...time. What is wrong?"

Arashi looked at his son with sad eyes before glancing at Gamabunta. "Hito-kun, he said it was the _exchange_...but he wouldn't tell me what that was. Kyu-chan, she's been upset!" Arashi grabbed his hair in his hands and seemed as if he wanted to pull it out. Kiba was sitting beside Naruto and holding him up in a sitting position, Naruto's head on his shoulder as he dozed quietly. He felt the frustration saturating the air making him tense slightly.

"The _Exchange!_ Good gods and goddesses, Arashi! Your child is taking on the Kyuubi's attributes...much too soon, I might add! He needs to do something, have people he trusts infused with some of the residual demonic power or he will die with poison over-load. Chakra it might be, but it was never meant for a human to handle in such quantities without natural purification." Gamabunta shook his head sadly, "You're going to need to siphon off some of that power, channel it through several different bodies, people or animals that you trust. I cannot do it, for I am not able to take on any of that power. I am much too old to change my chakra flow and I cannot condem one of my own children to do this without their permission." He sighed suddenly, trees bending in the force of the expelled breath.

Arashi growled. "DAMN IT!"

Kiba was quietly conversing with both pups, his voice barely more than a soft sigh. "Can you do it?"

_:Yah, yah, Kiba-nii-kun! Aku-nii is right, he's the Alpha and we gotta help him!: _murmured Ichigo, the tiny red puppy. She had a strawberry shaped white spot on her right hip giving her name.

_:She is right, Kiba-nii. We'll do it! I mean, we're young enough it won't hurt us, but old enough to make our own decisions:_ he tried to look strong even if he was terrified. To have something like that running through his body...something that didn't belong to him, it was going to hurt a lot.

Kiba looked at his small companion and his cousin. He sighed a bit too hard and Arashi heard. The blond man turned to him, his eyes shadowed with hard grief. "What is it, Kiba-kun?"

"I want to help Naru-nii. I _will_ help Naruto. Let me be one of the people to siphon the power. It's gonna hurt for a few days, yeah, but Naruto is worth it, yah know?" He swallowed. "And before you say it's the bond, it might be, I'm not sure, but I do know that Naruto is worth it." He shrugged.

Arashi sighed again and rubbed him face. "I'll have to talk to your mother Kiba-kun, so that means that, no, I _can't_ have you do this. No one must know I'm alive and no one must know that you know all about the Kyuubi." Kiba bit his lip and tried not to snarl. This might kill his _Alpha_ damn it! He'd do it one way or other.

"Fine," he snarled. "I'll do it on my own!" He gathered Ichigo and Akamaru to him, dumping them on Naruto's still form before he ran, his arms full of bond haired boy and pups. Arashi watched him go without a sound of protest. Naruto was his Alpha now, and no one other than Kiba's mother would be able to talk sense into the boy.

Gamabunta blinked. "That boy was an Inuzuka. I didn't think they had Alphas outside family." Arashi shrugged and explained the situation to the giant toad. "Oh, this is priceless, Arashi-kun. Your boy is turning out to be a box of surprises. Congratulations on one of the most amusing children in existence." Arashi covered his face and groaned in experation.

"Bunta-kun, you are an evil, evil toad. I hope every one of your children is just as terrible as my own," was his snarky reply. Gamabunta nearly swallowed his pipe at that and Arashi laughed. "Ha! You're not nearly as smug as you think you are."

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Naruto came to at Sasuke's house, voices heard clearly arguing down the hall through the closed door. Oooo, that had to be some volume. he slid soundlessly from the bed, tip-toeing to the door so he could hear all of the words. "...-on't give a damn about what you think, Uchiha! He is _my_ Alpha, I have to do something!" Two angry barks followed the voice identified as Kiba.

"He's my brother, too, and I won't let this kill him! I'm doing this reguardless of what Tou-san says!"_ Ah, Hinata was in a mood, too. _

"I am not going to let you two kill your selves over this! Kiba and Naruto might not be my favorite people, but you Hinata are smarter than this!" _Sasuke? Wow, he really could bellow if he tried. _

"I think this might jepordize the entire villiage if it is done incorrectly. Perhaps we should involve someone with more knowledge on this type of sealing?" _SHINO?? What the funk, dude?_

"If we give Shikamaru three days, he'll have up something to work with. And Naruto is a naural Seal Master. He'll put something together quickly, keep himself alive, and keep us alive. Tou-san did Naruto's seal with no side effects, Naruto will do one without worry." _What are you going on about, Hinata?_

"But the..._exchange_, as you called it, is happening. Why is that? Why is it early?" _Shino, I could almost kiss you. Thank you for asking!_

"The _Exchange_ is where Naruto is supposed to gain Kyu-chan's powers slowly and after he had stabalized in power and strenth. Unfortunately, something sped it up...we think it was because Hito-kun was taken along with Kyu-chan into the cell and sealed. It suppposedly halved the time Naruto has until he is forced to take more of Kyuubi's power on," Kiba rumbled softly, "and since we know we're not having an actual being sealed into our soul, we can assume any seal devised will work correctly this time." _Since when did Kiba become a genius?_ Naruto focused chakra to his feet and started up the wall until he was hanging from the ceiling. Taking his time, he snuck down the hall and hid in the shadows from the kitchen light as he observed the mess his friends and family were.

Hinata and Kiba were tired, their eyes bloodshot and their skin pale. Sasuke and Shino were seemingly as "perky" as ever, Shino sitting on the floor with the puppies sniffing his kakai nervously. Sasuke was at the sink making a pot of tea carefully, slowly as if he were thinking on something else entirely. "We'll bring in Nara, have him look it over and tell us what he thinks." _AKA...you want him to say that this etire thing is suicidle. That and you would never want to look weak in another's eyes._ "If he can help come up with something, I'll do it, but until then, I refuse point blank to become some purifying power vessel."

_What the FUCK?! Purifying vessel? "KYUUBI!"_

_**"What is it, kit?"**_

_"Why are they going on and on about a purifying vessel for power?" _Naruto was mentally tapping his foot in annoyance and fear. _"They are not talking about what I think, are they?"_

Kyuubi gulped. Oh, she needed Hito-kun here...now! _**"Well...I think they might be. But I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!"**_

_"But...but why are they so scared?"_ His voice sounded small and scared in his head and he tried to keep the thought of Hinata or Kiba doing something stupid for him out of his mind.

_**"It's because you might die...or they will in your stead. My power...it's trying to consume you from the inside out. The **__exchange __**wasn't supposed to happen for another twelve years or so."**_

_"Fan-fucking-tastic!"_

_**"I noticed this too, ya know,"**_ she growled at the blond. Hito-kun appeared next to her, his eyes crusty with sleep and pain.

**"I think it will work. I mean, Kyuubi **_**is**_** a demon, yeah, but she is proficient in all things chakra related. And I have been a nin for YEARS..."** he shrugged before slumping against the wet wall. **"And can you PLEASE change the scenery? Seriously, a sewer is disgusting!"**

Naruto looked at Kyuubi who peered worriedly at Hitogoroshi like a motherly figure...or even as a lover...? His eyes crossed at the thought as he focused back in on the conversation below him. He was not going there. Ever.

"Well...you could just ask me. I'm going to say hell fucking no, no one is going to sacrifice for me like that. Then again, I have voices in my head that more or less demand that I actually let this happen. One of the joys of being a fucking demon vessel," he murmured just loud enough to be heard. "So...get Nara here, I need to hash this idea out with him and Hinata. But first - " he dropped to the floor almost gracefully before he had to sit down " - I've _got_ to burn some of this chakra before I burn to a crispy kritter." He tried to push up but fell back with a disgusted huff. "At least, I _would_ if my muscles worked!"

He eventually crawled to his feet, leaning against the wall for support. "This shit is getting old..." He waved Hinata and Kiba away and stumbled outside to the open training grounds that littered the Uchiha Compound. He tried desperately to think of anyhting that would take on large amounts of chakra except Bunshin. He growled and gathered the chakra, balling it up inside his body before forcing it out in a wave of power that coated everything. He thought of protection, safety, a place to be unafraid and comforted. As suddenly as it started, it stopped. Naruto was sitting now in the dirt and breathing heavily._Kami, that hurt like a sonnavvabitch_. He closed his eyes and fell back, darkness framing his sight. _Oh, yeah, so gonna regret doing that later._


	7. Chapter 7

OHMAGAWH . . . I got a chapter out! Celebrate with me, people. I finally found out where my Muse was hiding . . . That and my computer went "Dead as door nail" for a while. It's—well, it's very old. Like, 1995 old. It tends to get sick.

Anyway, you get to meet Kagura (who was mentioned a few chapters back) and she is an OC. She will probably be one of the only ones that I pick for an OC because I foresee something hilarious with her. That and you see a slightly OOC Sasuke because, hello, I having him grow up in this fic . . . with a kick or two from Hinata. Please, no flamers about this. I've made it abundantly clear after I adopted this that it would stay very, _very_ Alternate Universe (AU). Thank you all that have waited patiently! I feel so fuzzy and warm now!

TEAMS:

Ino, Shino, Sasuke -** Team 7**- _Kakashi_

Sakura, Choji, Kiba - **Team 8 **- _Kurenai_

Hinata, Shikamaru, Naruto - **Team 10** -_ Asuma _

Tenten, Lee, Neji - ***Team 9?*** - _Gai_

(because the other chapter refuses to correct the text)

KEY:

"_**Kyuubi talking to Naruto and Hitogoroshi.**_"

"**Hitogoroshi talking to Kyuubi and Naruto.**"

"_Naruto talking to Hitogoroshi and Kyuubi._"

_Naruto Thinking to himself..._

"Regular talking."

"_**Two or More (Hito, Kyuu, and or Naruto) talking at once**_"

_::Akamaru, Kuromaru, or a dog/fox speaking::_

1234567890 **quote **1234567890

_Perfection is but an illusion that man has made to make themselves feel self-important when they themselves are far from the perfection they promote. That is why so many who say they are seek it out so intently._

1234567890 **Three days later...** 1234567890

"So, you need to transfer the power of a full-fledged demon several millennium old without killing the original vessel or the new couriers? Well, let's see what you have down," Shikamaru said simply, glibly as if this kind of stuff happened everyday. When he received several shocked stares, he rolled his eyes lazily as he picked up the paper Naruto slid his way.

"Here's all that I accounted for. Other than getting enhanced senses and maybe a more instinctive knowledge of the terrain wherever they are, they shouldn't inherit anything else from Kyuu-chan. I've set the seals to release set amounts every thirty or so hours that won't do anything to the recipient . . . at all. So, missions are able to be performed without anything distracting anyone at a critical moment." Shika nodded his head and tapped a pen against the paper.

"Well, here is a small problem, but if you do this—here," he showed Naruto the paper and drew in another squiggle that left everyone else baffled but Naruto nodding rapidly, "and here—then you can get more for less. Better effects from the cause and all that, too."

"So . . . it's okay?" Hinata ventured to ask, since all the boys were acting like scared pansies, and stepped forward. "If so, go ahead and paint me up, brother." Naruto coughed and mumbled under his breath about "needing to be top naked" just loud enough the girl could hear causing her to laugh. "Fine, I'll just get Shikamaru to do it, then."

"I'll do it, I'll do it, just . . . just have a towel or something, _please_," Naruto pleaded as he started taking off his own shirt. Kiba followed directly afterward and stood still as Shikamaru got to work on him. Naruto led Hinata to the bathroom for one of the most embarrassing moments of his life as he painted convulsing symbols on her skin and . . . and boobs. Ones that he didn't see because he closed his eyes and painted the symbols deftly from memory. _Thank you, KAMI, for my photo-graphic memory! _Once finished, he handed his sister a towel and went out to the cleared room that he was going to use for the transfer.

Surprisingly, both his pup and Kiba's were painted up too, their fur shaved off and leaving them looking quite a sight without the thick hair to fill them out. Shikamaru had also chucked his shirt and was currently directing Kiba what to paint where before Naruto took over, sighing over the fact that this had to be done in the first place. They'd been fighting for two days, Naruto demanding that this not be done and only to be bashed repeatedly, physically and verbally, for just giving in and letting himself die. He'd conceded when Hinata started actually crying and had given over to their master plan. That didn't mean he actually approved of this, though.

Shino was a surprising mix of too pale skin and bright pink scars from his Kakai without his coat and shirt. Even the mesh was gone for the seal that was already painted on his skin. Naruto had to say he'd been the biggest shocker of this whole ordeal. He didn't have any intimate knowledge of the current situation yet the overly cautious and brooding teen had offered without hesitation.

"Everyone ready?" he received nods before they sat. "Hinata, to the water, Kiba the fire, Shino the earth, Shikamaru the wind. Ichigo and Akamaru, the last point of the star formation for spirit. I'll take the center. Everybody ready for a painful process?" The mutters of positive responses made him slightly tense with the final step in play.

"Do you, Hinata of water, sister of my heart and name, take your place?"

"I do," Hinata sank in the Lotus position with ease, hands resting in her lap.

"Do you, Kiba of fire, bonded brother and partner of Akamaru, take your place?"

"I do," Kiba fell to kneel with his hands palms up.

"Do you, Shino of earth, unexpected ally and master of your Kakai, take your place?"

"I do," the boy mimicked Kiba's pose, hands touching the floor.

"Do you, Shikamaru of wind, teammate and watcher of skies, take you place?"

"I do," Shika folded into the Lotus, tips of his fingers touching to make a steeple.

"Do you, Akamaru the bonded of my brother, and Ichigo the bonded of myself, take your place?"

_:We do:_ the pups lay flat, eyes closed as they made sure they touched from shoulder to hip.

"I, Naruto, brother of heart and name to Hinata, bonded brother of Kiba and Akamaru, unexpected ally to Shino, teammate to Shikamaru, partner of Ichigo, take your oaths and take from you, but only to give back three fold," Naruto stood in the center, hands out in front of him as if cradling something in a cup. A light, red and demonic, gathered there and swirled with raging emotions. "So be it, my brothers and sisters." The light shot out and hit them all, the red making strings from Naruto to the new vessels. The pups were the first ones to start crying out, yipping and whining pitifully. No one could move to comfort them for two reasons. The first and most pressing was that it could kill everyone else or even just Naruto. The second less pressing matter was that the power held them helpless to move.

When the ball in Naruto's hand expanded and started pulsating, they grew concerned. That is, until it released on a pulse and hit them all full in the chest no matter their positions. There was no time to scream or utter an oath before they all, Naruto included, folded in on themselves as the blackness of unconsciousness consumed them utterly.

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Naruto woke with a screaming migraine and a cotton tongue that assured him he was in desperate need of a drink. He spied a glass of water by his bed and sat up enough to sip it, grimacing at the staleness of the water. At least his tongue felt better.

He stumbled from the bed again feeling deja vu quite strongly. This was becoming too common place for him to be comfortable with it. When he almost tripped going to the door, he saw that there had been a cot set up . . . several in fact, with rumpled bedding and large squishy pillows. Only one was occupied and it just happened to be Shikamaru . . . probably because it was early morning and he wouldn't be up for several hours.

"Naruto! You're awake!" Hinata tackled him to the floor with a hug, her eyes smiling as she cried. "I didn't think you'd wake up! Everyone's been awake for the last four hours but all you did was sleep. It was like you were in a coma," she whispered the last part, burying her face in his neck. "Don't scare me like that again."

"Are you and everyone okay? Did it work?" Naruto checked Hinata over carefully, poking her ribs to see if she was injured or in pain. Hinata giggled and swatted his hands away.

"We're fine, nii-san. Actually, I'm even better than I have been in a long time." She leaned in to whisper in his ear, "It doesn't hurt anymore."

Naruto sat up and hugged Hinata tightly. Her Byakugan had been steadily turning into a problem, the eyes making her go blind for a day afterward or attacking her own nervous system. It had seemed that the eyes were incomplete for some reason and they couldn't just go and ask Hiashi. The old bastard was still quite sore at them. Just because he cast away the pearls, or in this case Hinata, that didn't that others would let them, or Hinata, go to waste. There were those like Naruto's dad and Naruto himself that would take in the girl and treat her as family.

"Well, isn't this cozy. Are the rumors true then?"

Sasuke was standing with Shikamaru, one's eyes twitching and the other rolling his. Naruto groaned and hid his face in Hinata's shoulder. "I thought all those rumors were done. Why would people think that, huh? I'm _thirteen_ for Kami's sake. I don't think of girls like that yet." Naruto wrinkled his nose. "And no offense Hinata, but that would be _ew_. You're my sis."

Hinata coughed into her hand. "Yeah, well, you being my brother does complicate the whole "they have sex daily" mentality that most people associate with you."

"Okay, ew, subject change."

"Okay, how about this for subject change. How are Kyuu-chan and Hito-kun? Are they alright?"

Naruto pondered. "I haven't heard from either of them yet . . . which is strange. Give me a minute, let me go check," he mumbled as he closed his eyes. He started to Kyuubi's cage, looking at the slightly remodeled sewage pipes and walkways. No water, everything seemed repaired, the walls were a bright sky blue with moving clouds . . . and bubbles that looked to be made of chakra floated by serenely. Okay, the clouds on the walls he could understand, but the bubbles? Come on. He was more manly than that! Hopefully.

The entrance to Kyuubi's lair was much more pronounced, what with there being gilded carving work all around the reshaped door. The door it self was a master piece of engravings of the fox and her nine tails that brushed the curved top of the now Gothic-shaped doors. They were colored in rubies and citrines making the fox on the door seem as if it were moving in an obscure dance. Naruto pulled himself out of the stupor he had been in and pushed the doors wide . . . Wide enough to let him know that adult rated things were happening in the chamber. And that Kyuubi as a woman was very—um, very _bouncy_ up there.

Forget it. He'd talk to them later. Right then, he wanted out . . . _now_. Naruto opened his eyes and felt the blush take over. "They'll come and get me when their ready and I'm not going back in there without being invited. Ever." Naruto put his hand over Hinata's mouth. "Don't ask. I won't tell."

Hinata pouted. "Fine."

"Up you get," Naruto said as he picked Hinata up and set her to the side. He looked up at the chocking sound coming from the other two—he looked up and spotted Kiba and Shino too—make that four boys. "What?"

Kiba picked his jaw up from the floor. "Since when have you been able to do that, dude?"

"Since forever, but I gotta watch what I do or I could hurt someone." The oblivious blond shrugged.

"You mean," Kiba started with a scowl, "that every fight you've ever fought against us, you held back?"

Naruto shrugged again. "It's that or break you in half. I won't hurt those I'm supposed to protect. Ever. And no, Kiba, I won't go full out against you. The only person I can is Dad." He rolled his eyes at the envious looks. "And don't give me that. I only needed a demon sealed inside, hate and revenge-laden beating from villagers, and, oh yeah, voices in my head. Now, take your pick: the Demon or hard work that is better for you anyway." He pondered this for a moment. "Well, maybe you will get some of the benefits? Hey, Shika, what about that diagram? Let me look it over again."

Shikamaru handed over the folder he had taken with him to bed last night. It was interesting reading Uzamaki Senior's seal theory and scroll summoning. _Really_, he snorted, _Uzamaki. He was Kazuma Arashi without question. Who else had such hair?_

Naruto thumbed through the folder, bitting his lip and tilting his head to look at the paper better. The one he'd inserted, anyway. The rest of the others were still more of mystery that he understood just instinctively, but not intellectually. Apparently there was a difference. Whatever, he'd deal with that distinction later. "Well, fuckin' hell, that's going to be complicated. I forgot all about that earlier . . . So, who wants to tell their parents that they're going to be able to see in the dark? Or super strong?"

Hinata squealed in joy. "I'll beat you at your own game now, Naruto! HA! Na,na, nana, NAH!"

Naruto groaned into the folder and hid his face. "Oh, Kami-sama, save me!"

Every let out a startled laugh. Okay, so things were changing. It wasn't the end of the world.

1234567890

"So, you've been unable to get onto the property, not even across the threshold?"

"NO! Sarutobi, I know they've done something big, I felt the backlash at the house. That one storm was not normal." Arashi held his head and sighed. "I'm . . . I'm worried about what those two will do for Naruto. They're genius smart and motivated."

Sarutobi stared at his friend and closed his eyes, puffing away at his pipe. "Then we will have to wait. Less than two days is not an eternity. If neither one shows in three more days, I will go personally to retrieve them."

"Thank you, Sarutobi. I'm sorry about this, but I had to ask." Sarutobi patted his back and smiled around his pipe.

"Think nothing of it, Arashi." The blond man left the office, forgetting his henge in the process, intent on getting home and rushing pass several infuriated clan heads who stood gaping at his leave taking when he shushined away. They all rushed into the room, voices raised in fury that someone would mimic their hero in such a fashion only to be memory justu'ed. Sarutobi sighed into his hands. This day really was starting to suck.

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Naruto looked at everyone with mild concern. "What do you mean 'every time I try, it blows up' , huh? It shouldn't be any different!"

Hinata growled like Akamaru would and put her face in Naruto's. "What we're saying is that every time we try the academy jutsu requirements, they won't work right. They . . . they look like _yours_ used to!" It was if a light bulb went on. "Well . . . damn. Our chakra is shot to hell and back because we have too much!"

Naruto looked at the faces of his fellow men. Kiba's jaw was on the floor, Shikamaru was imitating a fish, Shino's eyebrows could be seen and Sasuke was wide-eyed. "Okay, those aren't good faces. What's going on in those heads of yours?"

"More _chakra_? That is why we're having trouble?" Shika had recovered but just barely. Naruto nodded sagely, his eyes shining. Shika sighed and muttered "Troublesome" in a quiet way.

From there, Naruto instructed them to a tree a piece and had them trying to climb the (in Kiba's words, not his) "Sadistic, idiotic, neutered, sunnovabitchin', malformed, shit-eating, pussy-whipped TREES!" for the last hour. Only Hinata and Shino were able to at this point, but Shika wasn't far behind. It was Sasuke and Kiba that were having so much trouble. Naruto couldn't figure out why Sasuke was having so much difficulty, but Kiba's problem was starting to bug him.

"Yo, Nata! Check Kiba right quick. I think Kyuu-chan's power shift was a little unbalanced!"

Hinata nodded distractedly at him before activating her Byakugan quietly. Her soft gasp was confirmation enough. Damn. He really didn't like how this was going. Really, now, what else could go to hell?

"Better to not ask." He grunted and popped his back as he stood up from the log seat. "Time to go make a bigger mess."

Kiba lay on the ground panting, his brow sweaty and his eyes tired. Naruto crouched beside him so as to show light dominance, but nothing else. Dog society so _sucked_ sometimes. "Kiba, mold the chakra like you would for the beast transformation. It's _wild_ chakra and you're wild-blooded. The chakra is reacting to that a lot differently that usual. And the bond from my earlier blunder has made you a prime target for the bestial qualities of Kyuubi's demonic power. Don't hold back. Let it all out at once, and _then_ we'll see."

Kiba growled in annoyance. "Dammit. I hope like hell I don't look like you, ugly."

Naruto swatted him lightly. "Are you sure you're not looking in the mirror? You're butt ugly, ass wipe."

"Says the piss yellow blond."

"Shit-haired dog piss."

"Piss colored fairy."

"Shit-faced princess."

"Fairy."

" 'Fairy' , my ass, Princess."

"Exactly, Piss Fairy princess."

"Shit Princess, cause that's all you do."

Naruto leaned closer, whispering, "Release . . . now!"

Kiba closed his eyes and let his tenuous control over the new chakra go. The instantaneous transformation he under went shocked Naruto a bit, but he probably shouldn't be. Kiba became more like a canine, his face markings deeper, his hair much shaggier and a bit longer. His teeth lengthened into honest fangs, his nails became more pronounced and slightly blackened at the cuticle like that in an animal. But, out of all of that, his height changed a good two inches taller and his scent was unrecognizable now.

"_**Now this is interesting."**_

"**Huh. Naruto, isn't he like, a dog anyway? Why is he taking on wolf characteristics?"**

"_He's WHAT?"_

"_**Well . . . That would be my ancestors' fault. One was mated to a damned wolf demon."**_

"_**SAY WHAT?"**_

"_Kyuubi! What am I going to say to Tsume-sensei? I just genetically changed her only son to be more like a wolf that the famed dogs of the Inuzuka clan. They're _called_ Inuzuka for a reason, fox!"_

Naruto growled lowly to himself making Kiba cringe. "I didn't think it'd be so bad," the dog nin muttered. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"You're not. I'm just having a conference with Kyuu. Ya do know your mom is gonna have my hide for her wall when she finds out you have a 'third' parent, right?"

"Say _WHAT?_" was yelled in his ear from the still prone brunette.

"_**That word is so over used."**_

"_Shut it, Kyuubi! I'm extremely worried for my hide right now."_

"What do you mean I have a _third_ parent?" Kiba opened his blazing eyes to scowl at Naruto. The blond just forced a weak laugh.

"Eh, heh, heh, yeah. You're genetically altered . . . again," Naruto said with forced cheerfulness. "You know, if we didn't have chakra usage, you would be absolutely fine, but since we can and do use it, well . . . you're getting screwed in a bad way."

Kiba growled. Naruto sighed and stood, offering his hand to his bond brother. "Just look at it this way: you are now a better canine nin. And if you're going through this, so's Akamaru. _Fuck_! Where are the two pups?"

Kiba was on his feet, Naruto staggering with the force Kiba had used to pull himself up, but turned anyway to search for the tiny puppies. It was the reddish looking fur of Ichigo that finally caught his attention to a hedge bush. He rushed over leaving Kiba to look for Akamaru. The cry of victory told him of Kiba finding his own partner, but how was Naruto's little bonded female doing?

Naruto ducked and picked the little girl from the bush, her fur almost grown fully back . . . and she had changed a bit. Instead of the Wolf Hound-Mastiff half breed puppy, she had transformed too, her fur much thicker now and her skull and muzzle were more like that of a fox. Her pretty little baby fuzz fur was even fluffier than before and her tail was much too bushy. Naruto cradled her to his chest like a babe and hurried to Hinata as she sat against a tree, eyes closed. There he sat by his sister, checking the drowsy puppy from muzzle to tail tip.

Naruto furrowed his brow. "No way," he checked again and groaned. Ichigo now had two tails!

"KYUUBI! You are so going to be in trouble! You are GROUNDED!" he exploded. Everyone looked at him, the puppy, then back at his fuming face.

Hinata palmed her face. "This is too much. Just . . . just too much. Next time we want to do something like this, hit the offending thinker with a big blasting jutsu before we get this far." Naruto seconded her, whacking his head into the tree behind him.

_::What has your over fur in a bunch, Alpha-nii-kun?:: _Ichigo stretched contentedly in his lap. _::I like having two tails. I'll be the envy of the kennel now!::_

_::She has a point, Alpha-nii. I've changed, but I don't have _two_ tails. It's almost unfair.::_ Kiba had Akamaru trotting beside him, several inches taller already, but still a big fuzz ball like Ichigo. Akamaru had a now decidedly wolfish look, but his coloring remained and his muzzle was just a tad too short to be pure wolf.

"Hold up, since when can I understand you?"

_::Since you got me as you partner, Alpha-nii-kun!:: _Ichigo cuddled under his shirt and snuffled his stomach. _::Mmmmm . . . Warm and toasty. Kitsune-chan is a good heater.::_

Naruto tried not to, he really did, but after every thing today, he started to laugh. The sound was slightly hysterical but it was a cleansing kind of laugh. Kiba in his modified body joined him, falling to the dirt and holding his sides as tears streamed from his eyes. Hinata was giggling and hiccuping. Shikamaru was chuckling from the branch he was lounging on. Shino was shaking with garbled snickers escaping his mouth every once in a while. Sasuke actually laughed, quietly and with a rusty sound, but it was a laugh.

It was a while before they calmed down. Naruto yawned, followed by Hinata. It might have just been after lunch, but he was just too tired to care. Holding the end of his shirt so Ichigo didn't fall out the bottom, he stood shakily. "I'm gonna go sleep. We can work on control later." He waved 'night to them and staggered off. Shikamaru was already asleep in his little tree branch "net" with his head bobbing in time to his breathing as it rested on his chest. Shino stepped off his tree to land silently in the dirt, walking quietly into the house and taking the couch for himself. Kiba yawned and curled up under the tree with Akamaru and his coat for a pillow.

Hinata shook her head and tried to stay awake. It seemed that when Naruto was too tired to really do anything, it transferred over . . . for the moment. This connection was supposed to lessen in the next few days. Sasuke, being courteous for once, held out his hand for her to grab. He pulled her up and helped her to the recliner where she ended up sleeping anyway.

Sasuke sighed and sat in the kitchen, cheek propped on his fist. "Well, this has been interesting." Finally standing up, he grabbed some money and hopped out the window.

Starting at the market place, he combed over everything that he knew all his "guests" would eat before adding some of his own personal favorites. Sealing the food in a scroll, he scoured the clothing stores for something that everyone could wear since all they had was what they were wearing and only he himself could leave. It would be too suspicious if he went to their houses for clothes, now wouldn't it? He sneered at the orange clothing that was set up in the back of one store, jumpsuits that were an eye-watering shade. One that he had seen Naruto wear every once in a while.

While out of the house, he bumped into a little girl, one still academy age with almost lime green hair and brown-sugar skin. She had the prettiest blue eyes, the same color as Naruto's in fact. She smiled sweetly as she dusted her blue dress the same color as her eyes and picked up her bag. "I'm sorry. I seem to run over everything!"

Sasuke looked at her, almost in a trance and her smile wilted. "Are you okay?" She shook his shoulder. "Did I stun you? I keep doing that! I'm so sorry!" She poked his shoulder and a band of static electricity jumped from her finger to his skin. Sasuke yelped without dignity, jumping like a cat on a hot tin roof. "Ah, you're okay now!"

He scowled at the girl. "What the hell?"

She giggled and held out her hand. "Kagura, Tamashii Kagura. I see you with Naruto-nii all the time. Are you one of his friends?"

Sasuke shook her hand warily. "Uchiha Sasuke. Sort-of friend to Uzamaki Naruto and friend to Uzamaki Hinata."

"WOW! From what I heard, I just had more words from you than any of your creepy fan clubs put together. How awesome is that? Hey, want help with the shopping? I'm looking for clothes anyway and you seemed to be going to my aunt's store. Her kimono patterns are awesome!" Sasuke's eyebrows rose. Just who was this little Naruto-attitude-clone? She was . . . strange, to say the least. He might as well be polite, though.

"If it is possible, may I impose upon your time?" The girl giggled and gave a curtsy.

"I would be honored, good sir."

Sasuke ended up being dragged into every clothing shop in town, the bags of cloths growing in great leaps and bounds. Not that he didn't have the money, but this was getting ridiculous. He only had four other guys and one girl in his house, not an army! And _why_ did Kagura insist on getting him clothes?

"Kagura, I must return. It's been two hours already," he said soothingly. Maybe being around Hinata had it's benefits. He really had mellowed out since meeting the bright, sassy girl and especially in the last three-four days.

Kagura pouted, her eyes large and wet and irresistible. "Can I come too? I know Naru-nii-kun is at your house, the orange is a dead giveaway. And Nata-nee-chan is most definitely at her brother's side. I want to see my brother and sister again." Sasuke felt his heart beat funny like before he caved to the look that even Hinata (who had it perfected) would crumble. He breathed out (for Uchiha's did not sigh) and turned, hand barely motioning her to follow . . . or not. She followed, her eyes still large and shiny and cute . . . and Sasuke felt his heart beat oddly again. Maybe he needed to visit the hospital for a quick check-up.

A/N: Okay, the ritual, please, no words on how it _shoulda, coulda, woulda_ been done. It's done. It is a bit of everything that I researched years ago and, yes, it is a bit garbled, but it works with the idea I had going. Wiccan, Druidism, and a little bit of everything else.

When will I update next? I have no idea. I have a life and this is just a hobby that I enjoy. I do write when I get the chance (and when my Muse stays put) but this is not a priority. Sorry, y'all, but that's that.


	8. Chapter 8

Okay, there are a few warnings for this chapter, just to let you know. Nothing too bad, but it's not what some people agree on, ya know?

FIRST: There is an under-aged kissing scene. TWO: There is adult language like cursing. Sorry, but hey, these are teens. Teens like to curse. I babysit enough of the ankle bitters to know.

KEY:

_-Morris Code-_

"_**Kyuubi talking to Naruto and Hitogoroshi.**_"

"**Hitogoroshi talking to Kyuubi and Naruto.**"

"_Naruto talking to Hitogoroshi and Kyuubi._"

_Naruto Thinking to himself..._

"Regular talking."

"_**Two or More (Hito, Kyuu, and or Naruto) talking at once**_"

_::Akamaru, Kuromaru, or a dog/fox speaking::_

_

* * *

  
_

Naruto was awakened by a full cannonball to his stomach that left him gasping for air. "Fuck!" he managed to gasp out before grabbing the wiggling ball of energy that settled on his chest. "K-kagura?" he coughed.

The green-haired menace of a girl only grinned and shouted "ANIKI!" at the top of her voice. Naruto groaned and flopped back onto the cot he had commandeered.

"Oh Kami, you've found me . . . Wait. How did you get through the wards?" Naruto peeked out at the younger girl from his fingers warily. "What have you done now?"

Kagura giggled. "Nothing, aniki. I just held Sasuke's hand while we walked through."She leaned in to whisper, "He is kinda cute, but his attitude isn't that bad. You just gotta stand up to him."

Naruto groaned. "Just how old are you again, Kara-chibi? Aren't you too young to be thinking about guys?"

Kagura pouted and crossed her arms. "I'm eleven now, aniki. _And_, girls mature faster than boys! Isn't that awesome?"

Naruto really, really, _really_ thought about saying "no that's not awesome", but he stopped himself. "Eleven and already scoping out prospect husbands? How terrifying," he quipped dryly. He received a solid _thwack_ to the head but barely felt it. "Now, Kara-chibi, let's get ready to face my new . . . I think I just created a new clan."

"Hoo boy, aniki. You really did it this time. Tou-san is gonna have kittens." Kagura held her straight face for all of ten seconds before she laughed hysterically. Today was just too funny!

"So," Naruto started since he knew for a fact the Kagura was insane anyway, "what is on the agenda . . . heck, what day _is_ it?"

"Tuesday."

"_SHIT!_"

* * *

Sasuke was working with his team . . . well, with Shino. Ino was trying her best to glue her body to his back like a leech. Kakashi was reading his Icha Icha while making a few lame comments that didn't even make sense. Shino and he were trying there best to ignore the blond girl but this was beginning to be too much.

"Next time we come, I'm bringing one of Uzamaki's inventions. This is ridiculous."

Shino nodded as he threw the blond over their shoulders. "Agreed." Sasuke nodded in thanks before throwing a shuriken. Shino dodged easily as he suddenly became so much faster. Sasuke blinked and didn't see the hand that smacked him back on his ass. _What the hell?_

" . . . hm."

Sasuke heard the low grunt and raised a brow. Shino helped him up and they began again, Shino obviously holding back this time around. "Problems?"

Shino's brow rose slowly, clearly indicating that "yes, there was, but no he couldn't say here" in his almost creepily silent way. Sasuke rolled his eyes and they went back to sparring. Kakashi finally called a halt, Ino once again glued to Sasuke who was trying his damnedest to pry her off, and took them to gather their next D-mission. Tora . . . damned cat.

"I'm using explosive tags," Sasuke whispered to Shino. The bug-nin blinked but a smirk tilted his mouth up. Shino wasn't sure when Sasuke's attitude had had an upswing but it was nice not having to fight _both_ Ino and Sasuke. Shino and Sasuke walked out, Ino bound and gagged at the feet of Kakashi.

**THIRTY MINUTES LATER:**

Sasuke held Tora away from his body and snarled at the demented feline. The cat only swiped harder. Shino let out a low rumble from his chest that sounded like something Naruto would make and the cat stiffened with fear. Sasuke lifted a brow to match Shino's own.

" . . . That was unexpected."

Sasuke felt his other brow go up. Was this like some involuntary reaction? He would really have to ask. Of course, at that point Ino attached herself to Sasuke. Growling lowly, he thrust the petrified feline at the blond female, smiling when the little leech screeched as Tora came "back to life" in her arms.

"I might be an heir, but no way in hell will I ever be that desperate," he confided to Shino who nodded in agreement. Just then a green haired blur found her way around Sasuke.

"Hey, Emo-kun! Wanna come and eat dango with me after you're done? It'll only be a snack since Nata-nee is cooking again. Which reminds me, we gotta get Ji-ji to come over. He's prolly gone nut-so without Nata-nee and aniki. That or he's blown up the house with worry. I'm not sure which is worse." The girl mused more to herself than her companions. Ino seemed to be spitting fire from her eyes as she gripped Tora hard making the cat mew in distress. Shino rescued the poor creature and stepped to the side. No need to be in the way of a psychotic kunoichi in training and her love interest.

Sasuke, used to feeling fear of fangirls, didn't even acknowledge the killing intent as he answered Kagura. "Of course, Kagura-san. Will we need any greens or is what I have sufficient?"

"Ah, we need collard greens and some more wasabi and ginger. I had no idea that _you_, Shino-kun, ate that much wasabi," the girl shuddered. "I mean . . . ew!"

Sasuke smirked at Shino. Shino rolled his eyes, not that anyone could see, and petted the purring cat. Ino was frothing at the mouth. "You – you . . . DAMN YOU, YOU LITTLE BITCH! DO NOT TALK TO MY SASUKE-KUN!"

Kagura and Sasuke turned to the blond and Sasuke glared. Kagura smirked at the other girl and sidled up against Sasuke, whispering in his ear "Play along. I got an idea to rid you of fangirls" before glancing at the other girl again.

"Ah. He's _yours_, then? Well, too bad since I've been doing this—" she grabbed Sasuke around the neck and brought his mouth her her own. Sasuke stiffened before making himself relax into the almost involuntary embrace. She poked him in the side when her tongue touched his lips making him open his mouth. She deepened the kiss and tapped Sasuke on the side away from Ino in Morris Code what he should be doing. The raven boy swept his arms around the green haired imp that had him by the mouth and neck, grinning faintly in amusement. The sparking thrill running up his spine was a new sensation, but he ignored it to the best of his ability. _-Now step it up, play boy. She's starting to believe us, but I really want her to KNOW it.-_

_-How?-_ he tapped back.

She sighed into his mouth, really enjoying this more than she should. _-Put your hand on my ass or something. Message my neck, thigh, ya know, something sexy or alluding to sex. Make it believable, damn it!-_

_-Hn.-_ Kagura really couldn't help the mirth that filled her. Even in _Morris Code_ of all things, he made monosyllable answers. That was, she was ready to laugh until a large hand really did reach down just under her bum and started rubbing rhythmically. Oh, she was getting hot and bothered, but this was so worth it. She'd had a crush on the Uchiha for the last month or so. Not because he was broody or good looking or strong (not that he wasn't), but because he was different. Being a clan of "soul stealing demons" or, what they really were, soul seers and detectors made finding a mate – male or female – really hard. Sasuke called out to her in a strange and new way. Then again, if his hand went any farther forward, he might just loose it.

_-Okay, I th-think that is enough,-_ she tapped out shakily. Sasuke drew away slowly, his breath labored, if only slightly, and his lips looking bruised. She was panting and her entire body was flushed a deep red, of that she was sure. His hand was still where she had let him place it, under her bum and inside her thigh, but not high enough to touch her . . . female place. She blushed even harder. _-I think it's time to remove your hand, lover boy.-_ When he smirked she scrunched up her nose to keep from scowling. _-Now. Before I rip it off your arm.-_ He moved it slowly, his face showing just how much fun he was having playing with her. Kagura really wanted to smack him for it, but Ino-bitch was still there.

The screech of fury had all three flinching away from the enraged blond girl. When she held up her hand to deliver a satisfying slap, Sasuke gripped her wrist in a tight hold that was almost painful. "Do not harm her, Ino. I would have to retaliate and that would be unpleasant."

The blond girl paled so drastically Kagura was afraid she'd faint. She didn't, but it was close. Team Seven made their way back to the tower with Kagura holding Sasuke's hand. For show . . . or so she'd said. Sasuke had just went with it, what with her first suggestion working so perfectly.

"Oh, I forgot. If Naruto asks, I did it. Understood?"

Sasuke looked at the girl. "Hn?"

Kagura grinned evilly and whispered in his ear, "This way you live long enough to actually be a prospective boyfriend."

The way Sasuke spluttered made her finally smirk in an expression he had only seen when in the vicinity of the Uzamaki siblings. What a scary thing to witness. "Then it was you who started it. Good to know."

She let them go into the tower and waited until Sasuke reappeared before offering her hand to be held. He smiled ever so lightly before taking it. To up appearances, of course. Not because he wanted to.

Sure you are, his conscious snarked.

_Shut up, voice in my head._

* * *

**WITH NARUTO EARLY THAT MORNING:**

_(while Sasuke and Shino were sparring)_

Naruto wilted under the glare Kurenai was leveling at him. "I'm sorry, sensei. I've been . . . well, sick." He pressed a hand over his stomach to indicate what was really bothering him. Kurenai's eyes went wide. "But it was just hormonal, it seems. I'm better, Jii-jii said so."

The woman nodded. That she could forgive. Shikamaru snorted in laughter. "I thought the hormonal thing was a girl's problem."

Naruto had already ducked as a fist came down on Shika's head with the force of a sledge hammer. Hinata was standing there, acting as if she hadn't just walloped her teammate with a pleasant smile on her face. Kurenai hid a smirk behind her hand, turning her head away to keep from laughing outright.

"Shikamaru, since you do not seem to be adequately versed on kunoichi, I will have you write me a ten page essay on the matter. Not only that," their sensei looked down right scary, "you will start working with Naruto on the days he is sparring against Lee and Gai."

Shikamaru whimpered. His sensei was the she-devil in human form! Naruto clapped him on the shoulder. "It could be worse. It could be with Tsume-sensei or Ibiki-sama." Naruto shuddered. "Ibiki-sama is insane . . . literally. Though Anko is a lot of fun." Naruto pondered this as Kurenai had the boys spar each other. Neither one noticed it at first since they were preoccupied, but Hinata watched as they went from a moderate speed to something more along the lines of high chunin level within thirty minutes. Kurenai had stopped her and Hinata's match to watch the unbelievable sight. It seemed as if it would be a lot harder to hide the side-effects of the power transfer than they had first thought.

Finally, lunch was called, Kurenai pulling them to a sushi resturant. Hinata knew how bad an idea this could be and found her nose wrinkling in disgust as Naruto's plate was set down. It seemed Shikamaru smelt it too, the putrid stench of old and diseased fish. Naruto waited until Kurenai was eating her own before he set about making his food disappear under the table into a napkin he had placed a justu on for just this reason. The food really would be gone, it just ended up in whatever dumpster that happened to be closer than all the rest.

"That is not right, Naruto," Shikamaru stated plainly. Naruto shrugged and continued on, Kurenai slightly puzzled but figuring it was an old argument being rehashed.

Hinata sighed into her own napkin, slipping Naruto some of her own lunch. Shikamaru did the same and Naruto felt his heart clench. This is what family felt like. He had his dad and Nata, yeah, but having friends that _cared_ enough to notice . . . that made his life seem so much better.

"Thanks, you two. Kurenai-sensei," Naruto finally spoke up. "I need to go meditate for a minute. I'll be at the 'grounds waiting for you all, okay?"

Hinata glanced at Naruto and noticed this was his speak for "I'm going to get ramen so I don't starve" and she tilted her head. "Is it that bad?"

Naruto shrugged. "I can't tell if it is or not, but better safe than sorry."

Kurenai nodded to him then, letting him go on before them, her features in a tiny frown. She had thought something odd had been going on, but now she was sure of it. _Underneath the underneath_ and all that. She waited until she new Naruto was too far gone to hear, even for an Inuzuka, and finally asked, "So, are either of you going to tell me what this has been about or will I have to dig for the information I seek?"

Hinata looked at Shikamaru, her hand tapping on his thigh. _-I need to tell her something. She can't find out about dad.-_

_-The simplest thing to do is give her the facts that she wants now. Later, if she needs to know more, we'll clear it with your pops and Hokage-jii-jii.-_

Hinata sighed. Here went nothing. "Kurenai-sensei, the reason Naruto and I do not eat anywhere other than the Akimichi B-B-Q or Ichiruka's is because no one else will allow Naruto to eat there. That or they give him bad food."

The red-eyed woman was furious. This village made her wonder why she was taking the time to take care of it. If not for her loyalty to the Hokage and her oath as a kunoichi of Konohagakure, she probably would leave right now. Damn this village and its ignorant populace. If she had her way, many villagers would already be banished long ago.

**With Naruto:**

The blond was sitting at Ichiruka's bar, four empty bowls beside him and a fifth one steaming in his hands. He had about ten minutes more before he had to be at the training grounds to beat Kurenai-sensei and his teammates. Since this would be his last bowl, he sucked it down, put money on the counter, and left. He really did need to meditate.

Finding a good place in the top of the tree, the blond sat and breathed deeply, forcing his thoughts inward gently. Kyuubi was there waiting, his/her/its body in the shadow. Naruto had been so sure Kyuubi was male, but walking in on _her_ having sex with Hito . . . it had turned his world on its ear.

"_**Naruto? Are you okay?"**_

"_No, Kyuu, I'm not. You're male, you're female, you're neither and both. I'm just a little confused."_

"_**Ah."**_ Kyuubi stepped forward, androgynous as it could be, no true sex apparent. **_"I am both. I can be male, I can be female, and – as you can see – I can be neither and both at the same time. It's a demon thing, I think. Do not worry, though, my changes only effect you if I let them."_**

"_Yeah, but . . ."_ Naruto ran a hand through his hair. _"I don't know. I've got a new _clan_ of all things, my sister Nata is showing like for certain members of my clan, and Kara-chibi has a thing for Uchiha . . . And I'm being left behind again. I know boys mature a lot slower than girls but this is driving me nuts."_

Kyuubi took on a more distinct feminine appearance, wrapping her arm around the boy she'd come to care for so much. _**"I can't change you anymore than I already have, but I can give you an upgrade. It's not like you'd deal with the whole estrogen reign of terror, but you'll notice. Senses enhanced, closer mental tie to those in your clan, and maybe a little help in finding your mate . . . or even mates, really."**_ Kyuubi smirked. _**"And your clan would get a similar upgrade."**_

Naruto shrugged but snuggled into the warmth of Kyuu's arms, hugging the body to his own chest. _"Thanks, Kyuu. I've been loosing my mind recently. But what about that whole 'I get tired/sick/hurt/whatever, the others feel it too' thing?"_

"_**Meditation will help them. Go back to the Uchiha's and teach them. Hell,"**_ Kyuu playfully poked the blond, **_"make Sasuke one of your clan."_**

"_HOW?!"_

Naruto shot up, face blank in shock. Kyuubi shut his jaw with a finger. _**"No catching flies like that, gaki. And bite the little bastard. Not like you did with Kiba, but maybe on the arm or hand. You are Alpha now, gaki. Get used to it."**_

Naruto came back to himself, his eyes feeling gritty. As he rubbed his face he stiffened. " . . . bad since I've been doing this—" That was Kagura's voice! He turned to see his little green sprite in one hell of a lip-lock with the raven boy. He nearly fell from the tree but when the raven put his hand down _there_ just under her butt cheek, he felt murderous.

However, when Ino lifted her hand to strike one of his clan, his rage transferred with terrifying suddenness to the blond bimbo. He felt his respect for the raven go up when he stopped the stupid bitch. Did she not understand who she was about to strike? He let a rumbling growl roll from his chest. Ino had better watch her back for the rest of her life if she didn't want him to break her in half.

The group continued on their way, Shino carrying the horror known as Tora. Stupid beast, it reminded him of Ino right then.

"Naruto? Are you here?" It was Hinata. Falling from th branches to the shaded side, he snuck up behind his beloved sister and scared her into squealing when he started tickling her sides. He jumped away from the kick aimed at his head and smirked at the bluette.

"Be on guard, squirt," he taunted sweetly. Kurenai put a stop to it quickly, though, her face passive.

"This, students of mine, if your D-rank for today. Hop to it. We'll be doing four Thursday, so be ready. Today is the gardening at Junpai-san's house."

Naruto went off with the other two in tow. Today was turning out to be a lot of aggravations.

* * *

**WITH KIBA EARLY THAT MORNING:**

_(AKA: Same time as Naruto and the rest.)_

Kiba sat with Akamaru, the pup romping lazily with Ichigo. She would be with Naruto after this week, but right now Akamaru had to teach her the basics of control and chakra. Fun, fun. Choji was munching away at his chips, his cheeks puffed up with the sweetened barbecue flavored potato flakes. Sakura was playing with her hair, the little baka actually putting clips and flowers in her hair.

"What a waste of talent, Sakura. You're better than that," Kiba commented to the pinkette. The girl whirled to face the dog-nin, face in a scowl. Kiba rolled his eyes and made sure to pay attention to the stupid girl in case her fist found itself attached to his skull.

"He – _munch _– was giving you – _munch _– a compliment. - _munch_ – Not everyone – _munch _– gets that," Choji added in support. Kiba gave his fellow nin a small smile. He really didn't think that fighting his team would be a good idea, but hey, whatever he had to do.

Asuma was late today. Apparently an emergency had come up at the last minute and had delayed him. He even had a slip to prove it. For once, not the Kiba would say aye or naye, would be sparring. Something about a new report that had fired up their sensei had Kiba worried. He had to report this to his Alpha as soon as he could.

"Choji, against Sakura. Quit playing with your hair, girl!" Asuma sucked on his cigarette deeply before dispelling it in a noxious cloud. Kiba covered his mouth and nose with a mask he's asked his mother for. The leather, cloth and metal plated nose and mouth guard mask blocked about twenty percent of all scent. Thankfully.

Choji flattened Sakura (literally) within minutes. Asuma had her running around the field with weights until lunch as Kiba was careful with his sparring, his fingers usually curled inward to avoid too much bodily harm to his teammate. Something had the big man worried and that bothered th hell out of Kiba. Enough that he was almost flattened too. Akamaru had jumped in and tugged him up on a powered jump that even with chakra put strain on the canine . . . in most cases. Not so anymore.

Lunch was called as they hit ground zero once again and ran to catch Asuma who drug an exhausted pinkette and Choji who was bouncing happily in place for the wonderful delights of food.

After a long two hour lunch, they finished both of their D-rank missions with little problems. The only snag had been when one of the owners had cats . . . lots and lots and _lots _of cats. Ichigo and Akamaru had to be restrained and Kiba ended up with both pups at the tower with both scrolls of the day. Sarutobi let a brow disappear under his hat but Kiba said, "Cats."

Ah. That said everything right there. Everyone sighed and rolled their eyes. Asuma should have known better than that with an Inuzuka on his team. Only Iruka commented lightly on his changed appearance, but quietly with a knowing look. Kiba shrugged and mouthed Naruto. Iruka sighed and palmed his face.

Collecting the pay to hand out, he ran into Naruto, Hinata, and Shikamaru. Shino was coming from a different direction with Sasuke and little Kagura holding hands following behind him.

"Okay, something's happened."

Everyone blinked at the least likely pair to have ever been formed. Kagura tapped out a quick short hand Morris Code on Naruto's hand and he nodded. "Come on, guys. I'm cooking tonight, so better be ready." He blinked at the stares he received. "What? OH, and Nata? Can you get Dad?"

* * *

A/N: It's like . . . (counting) a whole two months late. Sorry, ya'll. But, to make it up to you, I'm having you all throw your fave pairings-threesomes thrown at me. The only ones set are **Sasuke/Kagura (OC) **and **Kiba/Ino** and **Lee/Sakura**. Hinata is going to either be with Shino, Shikamaru, Gaara or Kankuro. I'm not sure yet. **Choji/Ayame (Ramen girl)** is a side pairing unless I pull Choji in more. Depends on how I want this to play out. Naruto has Anko (she's not that old, people), Tenten (one of my favorites), and Temari to choose from. Neji is so alone it hurts, but I can't see him with any of the girls. I might just have him with one of the guys . . . Unless you guys don't mind Suki?

Tamashii Suki – cousin to Kagura and about two years older than the eleven year old making her 13. Again of the Tamashii Clan, she'll be a more mature (if somewhat perverted) version of Kagura. She'll be brown sugar skin toned, blue eyes, riveting dark blue-purple-red (you choose) hair. Wears lots of red . . . And reads Icha Icha.

Just let me know in the reviews. If you do not wish to see Suki in such an important role, just give me a clue as to who you think I could include. I'd appreciate it. Till later, all.


	9. Chapter 9

_-Morris Code-_September 4 – 7 Dragon Con

"_**KYUUBI TALKING TO NARUTO AND HITOGOROSHI.**_"

"**Hitogoroshi talking to Kyuubi and Naruto.**"

"_Naruto talking to Hitogoroshi and Kyuubi._"

_Naruto thinking to himself._

"Regular talking."

"_**Two or More (Hito, Kyu, and-or Naruto) talking at once**_"

_:Akamaru, Kuromaru, or a dog/fox speaking:_

TEAMS:

Team Seven. Shino Aburame, Ino Yamanaka, and Sasuke Uchiha. Kakashi

Team Eight. Sakura Haruno, Kiba Inuzuka, and Choji Akimichi. Kurenai

Team Ten. Shikamaru Nara, Hinata Uzumaki, and Naruto Uzumaki. Asuma

**0**

**1234567890**

**0**

When Hinata went to protest, Naruto pushed her along with Shino and Kiba - after asking him to send Akamaru and Ichigo to the Inuzuka compound for the night - to go and get Arashi. Then when they were out of sight, Naruto grabbed Kagura while directing Shikamaru and Sasuke ahead of them. With the two eavesdroppers far gone and the other two who, smart and with common sense (and since Sasuke was the one that she did it to), would be there for Naruto to question. Shikamaru for direction on how to handle the situation, Sasuke on why he even went along with the plan to begin with. Ee-gads, what a headache this was becoming.

"You two go to the living room. Kagura and I have to _discuss_ something, isn't that right, Kura-chan?"

Kagura gulped. "I-I-I guess s-so." She knew that look, and it did not mean anything good, that's for sure."

In the kitchen, she sat on the counter and waited, Naruto pacing in front of her. "Okay . . ." he started with an aggravated tone, "just what was that earlier today?"

"What?"

Naruto knew that Kagura was playing stupid and his temper went through the roof. His voice rumbled in a growl as he snarled at her. "Don't be stupid, Kagura! I _saw_ you kissing the Uchiha. Enthusiastically, even. WHY? And why was his hand all over your body? That wasn't a kiss, it was molestation."

"To stop those damned fangirls from coming after him all the time. It was the only thing that I know that works against those vipers," Kagura said with finality. "And he didn't even know what he was doing. I told him with Morris Code how to do all that stuff."

"_Morris Code?_ What did you do, tap it out on his teeth?! Kami-sama, Kagura! You're eleven, not twenty-one! That kind of intimacy is supposed to be years from now," Naruto groaned into his hands when Kagura got a stubborn set to her mouth, her eyes flashing into a searing crystal blue instead of their usually happily vibrant cerulean. "I can't handle my little sister being romantic with some guy, even if I know the dude. It just . . . I just can't," he sighed and looked at her with big pleading eyes. "I don't know what is going on anymore and if _you_ become involved I think I just might go insane. I can't help but worry for you, Kura-chan. What kind of brother am I if I don't take care of my little sister?"

Kagura felt her eyes soften along with her heart. She had been so angry when he had accused her like that. But now . . . Now she was so happy. He was worried, so very worried about everything. People, the probability of having a new clan, her, his friends and family, Kyu-chan and Hito-kun. It was a wonder that even with his regeneration he didn't have an ulcer the size of a plate in his stomach lining by now.

"Oh, aniki, why didn't you just tell me that?" Kagura slid down and stepped up to hug Naruto hard. "Don't worry about me. I won't date anyone for at least two more years, okay?" Naruto embraced her tightly, his heart a little bit lighter.

"Thanks . . . I think. Come on, squirt, I gotta start supper. Send in the teme so that he and I can have a little talk."

Kagura glared at him. "Don't scare him off, Naruto, or I'll call in my cousin."

Naruto shuddered. "She's insane, I tell ya." He grinned anyway, his eyes twinkling. "Just send him in. I won't kill him yet, just waiting until you do start dating. Promise."

Kagura kissed his cheek. "Alright. Have fun making him feel like an evil child molester, okay? And remember, Nata-nee will be back soon, so she'll want to know what you said."

With that, the little tart just strutted from the room like a queen. She went directly to the living room where Shikamaru was beating Sasuke in a game of Chinese Checkers, Sasuke growling at the fact that he was getting beat so badly by the genius boy. "That's it. I'm not playing this game with you again! I can't even score once against you," Sasuke groaned.

Shikamaru just laughed merrily, his eyes twinkling. Kagura came up behind Sasuke and hung lightly on his shoulder. "Come on, lover boy, Naru-nii needs to see you."

Sasuke sighed as he stretched up out of his seat, Kagura rising with his shoulders. She hid a grin when those muscles under her hands rippled. Just how tall and toned was he going to be in a few years? Enough to make even Kagura enjoy a little perversion, she was sure.

"I'll be back . . . maybe," Sasuke muttered. Shika snorted to keep from laughing, Kagura laughing openly at her beau. Or was it a crush still?

Naruto waited in the kitchen, a large cleaver in his hands as he chopped veggies and sliced through beef and chicken slices, freshly plucked and cleaned shrimp in a bowl nearby. "Sasuke, take a seat. I'm almost finished."

Sasuke complied, his senses telling him to fight or take flight. Too bad he couldn't.

"I don't mind the thought of you dating Kagura so much," Naruto commented blithely. "It actually doesn't bother me. But what I do ask is that you don't molest her like that in public _or_ in private until she is at least thirteen.

"We've already had our talk about it. She understands why I ask, and I hope you do too. I don't think asking you to wait two more years is such a bad thing."

Sasuke blinked. This was it? No yelling, threats of castration, or death? "Are you alright, Naruto? You're acting too calm."

Naruto sighed and turned to face Sasuke. "Nothing. Just . . . everything seems to be going too fast. I marked Kiba. Kiba, Hinata, Shikamaru, Shino, and the pups are . . . well, bound somehow to me through the ritual. It could mean a clan binding, truth be told. I was unaware of the side effects like this and feel like I'm doing this all wrong. Kyu-chan even suggested adding you to the clan." He scrubbed his face in weary thought. "But that's up to you. You are already like an honorary brother to me, snarky bad attitude or not."

Sasuke felt for Naruto. He really did, but it would be a cold day in hell before he admitted it. "So, you want me to be a part of this 'new' clan?"

Naruto nodded lightly. "Kind of. It's more like Kyu-chan saying it would be a good idea. She knows something. Then again, she _is_ a few millennium old."

Sasuke sighed. He actually didn't mind if he was a part of a new clan. With Hinata taking him to task every time he was within ten feet of her, Shino giving his quiet advice, and Naruto making him realize just what it was he had been doing, what he was becoming, he had changed subtly. He truthfully hadn't even noticed until now just how much he had _changed_ in so short a time.

Sasuke looked at the blond hard, his eyes taking in the tired, worried expression. Just why was it always Naruto? "I will think about it, I promise, but I cannot say anything now." Sasuke got up to help fry the meat as Naruto went about cutting up even more vegetables. "I just can't do it now."

Naruto nodded in acceptance. "But, if I have to, I will mark you if it will save you from yourself."

Sasuke's brow went up. "What is that supposed to mean?" Naruto shrugged.

"I can connect to each of my new clan mentally if the need is strong enough. And, by having them all a part of my family, they can draw strength from me or I from them. Kyu-ch . . . excuse me, Kyu-_kun_ said that soon I would be able to talk to them through the links. Therefore, if I need to keep you or the others from causing yourself harm, I can, in a sense, take over your actions and stop you." He wiped sweat from his brow onto his sleeve. It was getting hotter in the kitchen as the meat sent out delicious smells of eatable goodness. "It's not a light gift to have, but why would I want to abuse it? That just wouldn't make sense."

Sasuke knew his jaw was hanging open, his mind running around in circles screaming in confusion. Just how powerful was too powerful with Naruto? If he had that kind of power, Sasuke knew that he wouldn't be able to help himself when it came right down to it. The kind of strength it would take to deny one's self . . . phenomenal.

Kagura and Shikamaru soon came into the kitchen, Kagura going to the sideboard to retrieve the dishes and silverware. Shikamaru was directed with a wooden spoon that just appeared in the smaller girl's hand, her waving it like a baton . . . or a mace. Naruto laughed when she caught Shika on the butt with it more than once to hurry him along.

"I said set them neatly like this, you lazy dork. What is that mess? Fix it, fix it now."

Shikamaru glared at her and crossed his arms as he avoided her spoon. "And why should I?" he growled. Kagura smiled the kind of smile that makes even sharks afraid.

"I'll tell your mother. Is that a good enough reason, pineapple head?"

Naruto and Sasuke had never seen Shikamaru move that fast before, the table set (correctly this time) and napkins folded just so. Kagura went around the table to check his handy work. "Hm, good. Much better than before, of course, but still not the best that I know you can do. Oh well, I'll just have to teach you how to take care of your home better, won't I, Shika-kun?"

Shika whimpered pitifully. Naruto shook his head and ignored them. Sasuke rolled his eyes and flipped the meats, waiting as Naruto added in the vegetables. "What, I don't get any help?" Shika asked in a pleading tone as he back away from the psycho girl.

"Hell no, buddy. I may like you a lot, but she scares me a lot more." Naruto looked at the tiny girl, to Shikamaru, then to Sasuke. "Would you go against her?"

Sasuke shook his head. "Like you said. Hell no."

Hinata's voice boomed through the house, her warning clear to Naruto. "We're coming in, aniki, and Tou-san is really angry. Shino and Kiba are coming with him once he calms down." She walked into the kitchen, perching delicately on the counter, Kagura jumping up there with her. "Hey, girlie. How's my munchkin? Naruto's not been too hard on ya?"

Kagura smiled. "Nah. I'm good and aniki has been pretty well-behaved. He didn't even try to gut Sasuke-kun."

Hinata chuckled. "Good. I'd hate to kick his butt . . . it's like kicking a boulder without chakra covering your foot."

The roar of a man, one who seemed infuriated and sounded quite familiar. Naruto winced and was quite glad that Sasuke had taken over the cooking. Shino was the first in, running and scooping behind the island counter near Sasuke. He washed his hands and set himself to work on a salad. Kiba wasn't far behind, skidding around the corner and diving under the table. Naruto stood in the door to see his father stomping through the house, his henge flickering before out right dissipating. Ooooooooo . . . he looked _mad_.

"Tou-san, stop rampaging like a bull," Naruto snarled at the man. "Don't make me call Jii-jii."

"_WHY?!_ Why was I denied entrance into this house?! To the _property_ for that matter! _WHAT is going ON?!_" Arashi roared with vicious anger coating his every word. Naruto made sure he couldn't get passed him to the others, his father not in a forgiving mood. Naruto had known he would be angry, but this was just too much.

"DAD!" Naruto kicked out at him, luring him out the side entrance to the training grounds. Arashi responded in kind, following up with an upper cut that Naruto barely dodged. "What is wrong with you? Did you have a jutsu put on you? Or have you finally lost it?"

Arashi's eyes were full of tears, his face in pain. Naruto knew just what that meant. He had thought he had lost his children. Like he had lost his wife. Naruto fought, his fists flying out without holding back, his full strength enough to send Arashi flying when one connected to his ribs. Not that it kept the ex-Hokage down, no, but it helped pull him back a little, the grief not as intense as the pain. Naruto executed a kick combo the started from the head and went down, a shot to the head that swung directly into one that knocked the legs from under Arashi, the last planted in his stomach creating a crater beneath him.

Naruto panted as he stood above his father, his eyes soft in understanding. "Dad, we did what we had to. We didn't mean to hurt you or make you scared, but they—_we—_were determined to keep me alive. Even Shino and Shikamaru helped me."

Arashi covered his face with his hands as he cried, his sobs loud and half fearful. Naruto knelt by his side, reaching out to embrace him tightly. Arashi just cried himself out, his face pressed into the neck of his son, inhaling his scent and memorizing it. Hinata was there too, her arms around his waist as she kissed his temple to calm him. Kami-sama and all the gods, he had thought he had lost both of his children. He couldn't live if they were gone, his precious and wonderful children. He just wouldn't be able to handle it, not the loss, not this time.

"My wonderful babies, what would I do without you?" he whispered into their ears. "I . . ." his voice choked up and he bit his lip. Naruto hugged his dad as tight as he could without hurting him. Hinata tilted Arashi's face up to see his blue eyes, eyes just like Naruto's.

"Daddy, we're here. We'll always find a way to be here, but sometimes we have to grow up a little. What will you do when I or Naruto go on missions? I think is it time that you let yourself live again." She kissed his nose like he usually did hers and his lips tilted into a lop-sided smile.

"When did my little girl get so smart?"

She smiled at her daddy. "When I found you and Naruto. When I finally had good friends who wanted to be companions."

Naruto sat back and sighed. "I think you, pops, need a girlfriend . . . or a boyfriend, which ever floats your boat."

Arashi groaned. Ye gods! Naruto was trying to give him advice on his love life! "I'll think about it," he said without any real enthusiasm.

"Come on, I gotta check to make sure Sasuke-teme hasn't burnt supper."

**1234567890**

Later that night, after Arashi apologized profusely, everyone gathered in one of the large sitting rooms, the soft color of lavender with darker purple, green, and navy blue stripes marking the room as one that the lady of the house most likely decorated. Not that the old blue and green vases would give that away, as did the faintly pastel purple and green striped furniture and vibrantly colored stained glass lamps and sky light. It was a warm, comforting room with little touches of life here and there even after all these years.

Naruto was pacing, Arashi watching from his seat on the floor, Hinata and Kagura on either side of him on the over-stuffed French lounge. Shino and Kiba occupied the giant poofs that had sat around the un-used fireplace while Shikamaru and Sasuke grabbed opposite ends of a western style couch. Naruto turned suddenly, his face set. "Here's the thing, people. Due to some side effects, pretty much everyone in the ritual has become _more_. What that implies depends upon the person. If I guess right, Hinata will become more flexible, faster, night vision to rival that of a feline. We already see that Kiba is much more feral than he once was, but that in no way makes him a different person. Just better at what he does.

"Shino will most likely gain access to some hidden talents from his family line. You communicate with insects, but I bet that you'll know and understand more about them than anybody else within your family," Naruto pointed out with a no nonsense air. "You, Shikamaru, will have a greater capacity with which to work with your shadows. More chakra means that you'll be able to dabble a bit more with the powers than the other Naras will. Not only that but since the techniques are similar to a fox's, your abilities may manifest into that your shadow can act independently when you are in need. A burst of conscious thought, if you will." Naruto rubbed his face.

"You may even gain some fox-like qualities. My most noticeable features are the whiskers, but I can take on the female form as if I have always been a woman. Try and find some of the old myths and legends. Ninety percent are true in some sense or form. If you do have a female form, stay away from canines and lupines. Do not drink wine or alcoholic beverages. Do _not_ lie with your target or whatever because you can get pregnant."

Arashi was grinning at the very idea of his son as a girl with a big baby bump. So was Shikamaru and Sasuke. Kiba's lips were twitching until he choked on his laughter causing the rest to follow him. Naruto glared at them with a pout. "I'm serious guys."

Hinata patted his arm. "Dear brother, you know that these fools will forget in time. Just wait until it actually happens," she whispered into his ear as he bent down.

Shino having heard through his Kakai nodded in affirmation of her words. He knew one of them would end up being pregnant by the time they were, eh, seventeen at the most. Which gave them five years to perfect their fem forms. Oh, yeah, pregnant boys-turned-girls, here we come.

Naruto gave up getting their attention and sat beside Shino on his giant poof. Leaning into the comfort of his new friend and sudden ally, he watched as they all made merry at the very idea. He couldn't help the few chuckles that escaped him at the very idea of seeing Kiba or Sasuke with breasts and baby bellies. It was too weird. No. Really. Just think about it.

"O-Kay. People, time for bed or home. Get'on outta here! Shoo! And, Kiba, if your mom asks, tell her I did it," Naruto said as he stood. "If anyone is staying, there's a phone in the kitchen you can use. Just dial 9 and the number to go outside the compound. I'm going to bed because everyone has lost their minds."

Shino went to the kitchen, followed by Kagura. Shikamaru went out the door and home before anyone could say 'halt' and Arashi stood by his son, his hand on the much younger blond's shoulder. "Well, son. Who do you have in mind for me to date?"

Naruto looked up at his Dad and grinned. "Give me a week to find someone. Male or female?"

"Preferably female, if you don't mind. I just . . ." Arashi shook his head. "Nope. No men at all. It's just too weird for me."

Naruto laughed. "At least then the village will know that you've 'come back to life' or some other such thing. Will you be taking over again?"

Arashi snorted. "Are you serious? If you and Hinata wouldn't be branded traitors, I just might have to take you with me to another village! Still, Konohagakure is home." He rubbed the stubble on his chin. "I might have to leave for a while to find Hime-chan and bring her back. I might be able to convince her it's a good thing."

Naruto nodded. "Sure. Welp, bed time. See ya later, Pops." He hugged the man around his middle, feeling the embrace returned and then went off to the over-stuffed room, plucking up a quilt and tumbling onto one of the moved in twin beds. Shino soon joined him, as did Kiba, both picking their beds without care. The room was large enough to fit two twin beds end to end against each wall but for the one with the door (only one could fit in on the backside of the door) and since all the beds were twin doubles, one over the other, there was plenty of room.

Hinata swayed in and took the bunk above Naruto, Kagura the next bunk over. Sasuke came in eventually, his hair brushed down for the night, and took the top bunk behind the door. It was way too early to be woken up, but even Kiba couldn't sleep through the sounds of terrified whimpers and fearful screams. Kagura was tossing on her bunk, her vibrant green hair tangled around her sweaty face. Sasuke was the fastest to her side, jumping up to swing onto the mattress beside the girl.

Hinata couldn't get up there without knocking someone off and Naruto was keeping Shino and Kiba back. Sasuke didn't know exactly what to do, but the moment his skin came into contact with Kagura's brown sugar flesh, she latched onto him, settling herself around him in a death grip. Sasuke patted her awkwardly, rocking side-to-side. Hinata sat on Naruto's bunk, pulling Shino and Kiba down with her as Naruto watched Sasuke. She hummed a soft tune before singing a lullaby in a warm voice.

"_Husha-by and good night,_

_Time to lay down your head._

_Hush your cries, close your eyes,_

_It's time for bed._

_So husha-by and good night,_

_Time to lay down your head._

_Husha-by, sleep tight,_

_It's time for your bed._"

Kiba joined her in the second round, his voice a rich compliment to her own as he followed her lead. Shino sat back against the head board, his eyes involuntarily drooping, Sasuke with Kagura sighing sleepily leaning over so their heads fell to the pillow. Naruto himself took up another bed, the one Hinata had abandoned in her haste, curling up with the covers.

Kiba eventually petered off, leaning against Hinata as he started snoring, the girl yawning. Ignoring the fact that the bed was probably too small for all of them, she scooted Shino into a corner and pushed Kiba more fully on the bed. Seeing as they were out of it, she swung back to her bunk, putting her back to Naruto's as she drifted.

**1234567890**

Early morning brought grouchy teens to wakefulness. Of course, both Naruto and Hinata were awake with breakfast on the table, their father having trained them on how to survive on little to non-existent sleep. Sasuke barely spared a glance at them as he grunted and sucked down some black tea. Kagura was yawning into her eggs, the fluffy western style breakfast one of her favorites.

Shino eventually made his appearance with Kiba in tow, the feral teen living up to what he was as he growled and picked up all the meat he could possibly get away with and put it on his plate. Kiba sucked his food up and was out the door within minutes stating he needed clothes and to get the pups for the training session.

Naruto sighed and stretched, hugging Hinata to his side with a smile. "I think we need to invest in stronger morning brew."

The bluette nodded as she looked at the mostly asleep nin-in-training with a calculating eye. "Which reminds me, when are we going to pull the month long prank on the faculty and Jii-jii? It needs to be soon so that we're both in the village."

Naruto looked thoughtfully at his sister before he smirked. "Leave that to me. Jii-jii still has to give us at the very least a month's worth of D-rank missions. He just doesn't know he's signing his own bill of horror and pranks."

Six rolled around and Naruto herded the grouchy lot of teens out the door with Hinata skipping along beside him humming serenely. Kiba walked past them with Ichigo and Akamaru pouncing each other and barking at all and sundry since Kiba didn't seem too interested in bringing the canine brats to heel. Choji was with him and both looked like bears with short tempers the way they growled at anyone trying to talk to them. Not far behind them came Kurenai and Sakura, the pinkette looking smug. Hinata debated with herself for a moment before handing over both Naruto's and her own bento lunches knowing they could get more later. Kiba grunted as he shuffled onward like a zombie.

"Someone is not a morning person, eh, Naru-chan?"

Naruto snickered at Hinata. "Nah. More like a night owl with barking tendencies. Tell me again why he's a canine ninja?"

As they bantered – the others blindly following them almost as rude as Kiba and Choji – Naruto and Hinata met up with a lazing Shikamaru as he stood by the training grounds. Asuma wasn't to be seen but Naruto expected this.

Shino and Sasuke went on to their own meeting spot, Sasuke making sure he had the "anti-fangirl" project in his scroll. Shino himself was debating on whether or not to hide when Ino was pit against the device.

Kagura looked at them all, her droopy blue eyes closing and opening slowly. Shrugging, she followed her current love interest to his training grounds leaving Team Ten to themselves. "Anyone know shy the instructors wanted us to, ya know, not be their favorite teams today?"

Shikamaru looked up at Naruto. "Apparently the Hokage is making his rounds for the next several weeks since he heard about the unorthodox training methods the sensei had employed. He's furious, actually."

Naruto nodded and gave a sage "ah" sound that had Shika rolling his eyes. "So that means you all train with me for the next two months or so. Welp, it can't be helped. Come on, all, we have taijutsu training to attend."

Hinata perked up like a happy puppy. "Really? Really, really, really?"

Ten seconds after meeting Gai-sensei, Hinata wasn't as enthusiastic as she had been. Shikamaru was just plain terrified for his sanity and any mental stability his instructor might have had before he drop-kicked it to the other side of the Elemental Countries. Naruto ended up greeting the mini-Gai like a man would his brother with hard slaps and manly hugs while ignoring Gai altogether.

After that, it was relatively standard of the most talked about taijutsu expert, the drills and body, stamina, and respiratory building exercises for endurance and ability. Shika didn't question how Naruto had beaten Kiba so soundly after the first four hours of intense but low-level training the three were subjected to, Naruto even showing off the weights on his legs and arms that had been disguised to look like ankle and wrist bands. By the last two, even Naruto was lagging.

Hinata was huffing her last lap as their time with Gai ended, Shikamaru already on the sidelines with a water bottle and Lee fanning him to keep him in the lad of the living. "Good job, students! You have shown the True Power of YOUTH! Let your Fires burn Brightly, young pupils, and you will achieve anything!"

Naruto gave a thumbs up from the ground as he let his body slowly cool down, stumbling to his feet and walking around so his muscles wouldn't outright seize. "Come on, guys, we have another teacher today. Anko sensei wants to up my training since she says Asuma was worse than a fresh-out-of-the-academy kunoichi about getting his hands dirty."

Shikamaru groaned but levered himself vertical, Lee grabbing his arm when the world decided to tip dangerously before righting itself. Hinata just groaned on a wheezing breath as she followed her two male teammates to the high security Interrogation Facility. Having a half naked woman drape herself over one's back was a new one, though, even for Naruto who had to put up with Anko on a bi-daily basis.

"Anko-sensei, don't do that to my sister. It's just _disturbing_ on so many levels," Naruto said in a dead-panned voice. Shika was trying to stop the flowing of blood that steadily dripped through his fingers as he held his nose and face tightly. Naruto rolled his eyes and smacked his teammate over the head. "Perverts. I'm surrounded by perverts and weirdos."

Anko pouted unconvincingly. "You're mean, Naru-chan."

"And a fool for bringing my friend and sister here. Anko-sensei, I'm here for my lessons before meeting with Asuma-sensei. We need to be finished before then or I won't be able to come back to see you again." The blond smirked at the fishnet wearing woman with a crazy glint in his eye. "That, and Hinata seems to be morel like you in certain aspects, one of which concerns explosive tags, kunai, and a few meters of nin wire. Not to mention a mouthy Uchiha . . ."

Anko squealed like a fangirl. "Oh, you know just what to get me, Naru-chan! A sadist in need of training! How wonderful and sexy."

Naruto and Shika felt chills go up their spine, maybe this wouldn't be the best thing Naruto had ever done . . .

**1234567890**

Sasuke felt his entire body stiffen as dread formed in the pit of his stomach. Shino was right beside him, his entire face a frozen mask of horror. They looked at each other then at the Interrogation Facility with more than a little worry. Something evil was happening there, and to one of their own. They could just bet who it was too.

Ino was staying back – though not for the lack of trying – and she too felt fear skitter through her bones like scurrying spiders. One of her own kind was being corrupted by a horrendous force of being. There seemed that there was no justice!

Kakashi blinked at his students, looked to where they were focused, then shrugged it off. Sometimes the Interrogation Squad got a little too over-dramatic with what they were doing to censor what went outside the small enclosed compound. Nothing to worry about, really.

Sasuke sighed and nudged Shino forward. "Just think, Nata-chan will be so much scarier when it comes to fangirls."

Shino nodded and blinked slowly. "Yes . . . but I wonder who her test subjects will be."

Sasuke shivered before he could stop it. "Me, Naruto, Mr. Kah-er – Uzamaki-san. Maybe Kiba."

"Or the 'helpless' and 'victimized' citizens of Konoha." Shino muttered so only Sasuke could hear. Sasuke and Shino nodded.

"That's who," they agreed in chorus. Just then Ino tried to reapply herself to Sasuke's side. There was a two second delay before a burning arch of chakra zapped her – it almost resembled a bug-zapper, truth be told. Sasuke would have to up his reserves to keep it going all day, but, hey, what kind of nin would he be if he didn't up his chakra capability at all times? A bad one. Or, at least, that was the excuse he was going to use. He felt giddy with the fact that no fangirl could touch him without his permission.

"Emo-kun!" a green blur was shouting before she did the same thing Ino had tried to attempt . . . only, she succeeded since the zapping didn't occur. "Jii-jii told me to tell you that he was going to come by the compound at dinner. And, Kakashi-teme," she looked at the scowling jounin, "Jii-jii wanted me to tell you that you are going to be doing generalized chakra exercises tomorrow." With a kiss to Sasuke's cheek, she skipped off humming.

**1234567890**

Kiba felt his stomach flip and his spine tighten in fear. Choji looked at him and stepped in front of the pathetic attempt Sakura was making at hitting her teammate. "Cool it, pinky. Something is wrong with Kiba."

Sakura gave a furious growl and attacked them anyway. Kurenai looked over at them and suddenly charged a chakra seal on her wristband. Sakura hit the ground in a flying dust cloud. "Sakura, if you have the energy to pound on your defenseless teammate, you have enough energy to do laps again. Ten more." When the pinkette didn't move, Kurenai barked out, "NOW!"

She pulled herself up and went to do what she had been told. Choji looked at Kiba, the two pups that were usually so diligent about keeping him safe shivering from where they had dropped. "Kiba, what's wrong?" he whispered so Kurenai wouldn't hear him.

Kiba shook his head and looked slightly dazed for a moment. "Naruto is with that Anko woman. I feel the killing intent from the interrogation . . . Just what kind of teachers was he forced to take?"

Choji blinked hard. "Do I even want to know how _you_ know?"

Kiba shook his head. "I don't think you do."

**1234567890**

Naruto stared at the man that Anko had been interrogating. He may have just discovered a new found fear of snakes and women over the age of twenty. Hinata didn't seem to keen on either one herself right now. In fact, Hinata was cowering in Naruto's arms and crying her eyes out. When Anko made herself known, Naruto glared and snarled wordlessly at the jounin.

"If you force that on my sister – even only to teach her – I will hurt you," he promised with burning eyes that became slitted with his emotions. Shikamaru nodded to that statement, his own dark eyes flashing warning at the snake-user.

Anko sneered. "Well, she has to buck up if she is to be a kunoichi, now won't she?"

Shikamaru snapped his teeth. "Not when she is trying to be a healer or even a cook. The only reason Hinata is a nin at this point is to make sure the Hyuuga Clan cannot have her put down for being an 'inadequate' member of society." He growled low in his chest as he stalked forward and placed himself in front of Naruto and Hinata. "Understand the circumstances before passing judgment, Anko-san."

Shuffling to take Hinata, Shikamaru left with the sniffling young woman to sit in the park. Maybe the warm and calm atmosphere would calm her?

Naruto watched them go with a small sigh. Hinata was no where near cut out to be so vicious even if he could stand it and even use such ugly, dirty methods. The sound of someone clearing their throat had him looking back at Anko with a less than pleased expression. "Yes?"

"I have been informed that it was only _you _I was to teach. Why are the other brats ruining our time?"

Naruto messaged his face. "Jii-jii said – more or less – that he's not happy with what the jounin instructors were doing to get around his team placement. So, to make them do it, he is monitoring all the teams for the next six to eight weeks. After such a time, he might release us to normal activities." Naruto shrugged. "I could care less since my sensei doesn't seem to want me but has me anyway. Same with the others. Only you, Ibiki, and Gai-sensei welcome me with any kind of enthusiasm, good or bad."

Anko looked stumped. "You're not serious, are you?" She just couldn't figure out why anyone wouldn't _want_ such a powerhouse of unlimited potential on their team, demon fur ball or not.

"Very." Seeing her disbelieving look, he pondered something with Kyuubi. "Anko-sensei, can you keep a secret? Even from Hokage-jii?"

Anko started at this but nodded anyway. Sure. She'd been doing that most of her life, why not listen to what would most likely be a harmless admission? Naruto took a breath and sealed the room. "What I say can't leave this room. I'm Yondaime's son and heir. My father isn't as dead as everyone thinks, either. Actually, he's a bigger mother hen than Iruka-nii-san and as powerful as it gets. And, to let you know, yes, Jii-jii knows this one."

Naruto ran this hand through his hair. "However, only a hand full of people know I've hidden my real strength and abilities. I have the makings of a first generation Kekei-Genkai, am most likely stronger than Gai-sensei, and have what might be the start of a new clan through a series of unusual mishaps and mistakes."

Anko blinked. Her mouth moved several times as if she wanted to say something but it never came. Naruto looked at the clock and cursed. He was ten minutes late to meet with Hinata and Shikamaru. Letting himself out since Anko didn't seem to register him, he sprinted to the ramen bar as fast as he could. Hinata was so going to be pissed at him.

Kiba, Akamaru, and Ichigo were there with Shino and Sasuke too, Arashi sitting at the table with his henge working and grilling Shikamaru on why his baby girl was in tears. "Pops, cool it. It was Anko showing off her _elite_ and _dangerous_ skills. She was interrogating a foreign nin."

Arashi nodded. "Ah," he said as if that explained everything. Maybe it did. The meal was long and fun, Naruto telling the others about his training with Gai and Anko when asked, and what he did with the Inuzuka Tsume and Naru Shikaku teacher team.

"And then there is Ibiki-san. He's scary looking and a little insane, but he's not half bad when he teaches me. _If_ he has the time to teach me, anyway. He is an interrogation expert. He's . . . busy." Naruto rolled his eyes at this and grinned at his friends and family. Glancing at the clock hanging by the flap, Naruto sighed. "Come on, guys, Asuma-sensei will be there before we are if we don't get a move on."

Kiba groaned as he dragged himself and the pups away and back to Kurenai. If Sakura didn't pull her head out of her ass, he was going to bite the nearest part of her body. No questions. No warnings, he was going to BITE her.

Shino and Sasuke left with silent sighs. They now had to deal with Ino. Maybe she would gain some sense . . . but they doubted it. Sasuke upped the chakra output of the "Fangirl Deterrent" Jutsu. Shino was contemplating something on how to – not _prank_ exactly – estrange Kakashi-sensei from their training so that they _could_ train full out. He would need to talk to Arashi-san and Hokage-san on the best course of action.

Naruto and Hinata just looked at each other and walked out behind Shikamaru. Asuma-sensei would probably have them running those dull drills again. Joy. At least they upped the endurance and their patience. But one thing was really clear. The next month was going to be sooooooooo very boring.

**Okay, people, sort of a filler chapter. Sorry. Been trying to get things done . . . that and my last comp was fried by lightning. It still works – more or less – but since the internet connection is roasty-toasty on the motherboard (and the chapter I was working on GONE with it and all the other little things that keep this story running) it was cheaper buying my brother's old one. Still, it was expensive. Oh well. At least I'll be able to update now. **


	10. Chapter 10

_-Morris Code-_

"_**KYUUBI TALKING TO NARUTO AND HITOGOROSHI.**_"

"**Hitogoroshi talking to Kyuubi and Naruto.**"

"_Naruto talking to Hitogoroshi and Kyuubi._"

_Naruto thinking to himself._

"Regular talking."

"_**Two or More (Hito, Kyu, and-or Naruto) talking at once**_"

_:Akamaru, Kuromaru, or a dog/fox speaking:_

A/N: It has been brought to my attention that I left out a seriously needed line on my plot web. I thank **ArmorOfGeddon** for pulling the idea out of hiding. I had forgotten about the whole "Hinata is a failure" thing I had more or less written in. I shall address this as best as I can in this chapter but if it is ill explained, let me know.

**1234567890 **_Chapter 10_** 1234567890**

Neji watched from his vantage point, Hinata dancing sleekly on the water surface around the shaky Inuzuka heir along with her adoptive brother. Every time she stepped, the water all but jumped under her foot so that her landing would be solid . . . or as solid as stepping on water allowed for. She was so pretty now, her eyes bright and warm, not the shadowed remnants of emotional and physical abuse at the hands of her father when she had not measured up to a Branch member's standards—to _his_ standards, Neji scoffed. He was different than Hinata, had seen it from the first. She was too gentle and loving and self-sacrificing.

It wasn't much better now, either, for the newest heir. Thankfully for Hanabi, his father Hizashi was a much more loving man than Hiashi. And had a more refined self-preservation sense than the head of the family. But isn't that how it always went?

He sharp eyes took in the differences, the confidence and trilling wonderment of moving in sync with all that was around them. He had yet to activate his eyes for fear that the chakra usage would be noticed. Hiashi might scoff and say his first born was a stupid, insipid child without skill, but he was lying to himself and everyone else so that he wouldn't look the fool for casting out his heir. Too late for that but the Hyuuga Council was more than willing to stroke Hiashi's ego, to keep their unsuspecting pawn. Neji hoped he fell under the radar again like he always had, just above average in some areas but excelling in what a Hyuuga should. He had almost been labeled a prodigy. He sneered at the very word as he watched the blond finally figure out what he had missed within himself and start jumping and dancing with Hinata. Kiba gave them both disgruntled looks.

"Kiba, feel the water like it is a part of you. Like your blood, it flows and changes course within a boundary that cannot be crossed. Learn that it is not set but it is also bound to a certain way of being. Like a tree stands strong and tall and solid, water is swift and diligent and flowing." Hinata stood beside the canine nin and let him compose himself to try again. It didn't take long before success was his and the wild teen yipped in delight. Neji nodded his head and slipped from the tree, sliding into shadows to keep hidden even within the pale clothes he wore.

He never noticed the small bug that had attached itself to his hair or that his scent was everywhere so that even a water-logged Kiba could still smell it. Only time would tell with such an unknown.

**1234567890**

Hinata looked at her father with a suppressed grin and led the way to the office. Hokage-jii would be laughing once he knew what was going on, but Arashi had brought it upon himself. Really. A civilian could not cause that kind of damage. A normal _ninja_ wouldn't be able to cause so much mischief with so little at his or her disposal. How demented was someone when a paperclip, two balloons, and a handful of rag weed meant that something _Bad_ was going to happen?

"Hokage-sama, I caught this man vandalizing the . . . er," Hinata felt her cheeks heat. "Well, I think he can tell you." The smirk she was trying to hard to stop twitched her mouth and Sarutobi was on edge just thinking of what could be so devastating to someone with suicidal tendencies (nine-tenths of the entire civilian village and a few nin) that Hinata _enjoyed_ the final outcome too much to use her game face. It meant that the attackers that went after Naruto had been for all intents and purposes humiliated in public view with no one being the wiser. Upon seeing who walked in, he groaned and let his arms fall to his desk as he tried to bury his face.

Hinata left with a stifled laugh that once the doors banged ominously closed burst into full-out guffaws. Sarutobi decided it was time for retirement as he gazed at Arashi. "What did you do _this_ time?"

**1234567890 A Few Days Later 1234567890**

Kiba was sitting with Kurenai-sensei, Choji, and the pups. Apparently since Naruto just couldn't coordinate himself with the tiny fem pup, Ichigo had become part of his fighting team. Tsume didn't even shrug when she had heard. "I had thought something like this would happen, but hey, a pup picks the bonded whether they fight together or not. Never the other way around."

It seemed that Naruto had grown up too much to assimilate the tiny pup into his routine fighting. Berserk style didn't allow for many close combat allies since they could be hurt in the melee of the free for all. Ichigo understood and went along with it. She still kept her human and her fighting abilities. It seemed to be a win-win situation unless one witnessed the pup in depression. Naruto had talked to the pup when he first saw and she was slowly getting better now, still sad but rebounding with her bonded partner's love and acceptance.

A silent puff of air announced Sakura with her weighted clothes stopping near the table as she all but fell down. Choji caught her and with Kiba settled her on the bench. Kurenai looked at all of her students now and said in a slow, frosty voice, "Are we through with our tantrums today?"

Sakura gulped air as she nodded rapidly enough to make herself dizzy. Choji kept her upright by putting his hand on her shoulder. "Slow breaths, Haruno-san, before you pass out."

Once she could breath, Sakura thanked both boys softly to Kurenai's pleased watchfulness. "Now that we are all able to listen and breathe, I want to outline what we will be doing the week after next."

Kiba snorted. "I know what we're doing. Ma let me know that she was scheduled to take on a team a week to assess the teamwork. We're first and therefor on Monday, we're going to be under Ma's stern eye." He shrugged and leaned back on his arms as he stretched his spine. The weights Naruto had them all put on were killing his back. "I can already tell you we won't pass as we are right now. Not even close."

Kurenai stared at her pupil with a keen eye. "Oh? Is that so?"

Kiba gave a Gallic shrug. "I know Ma. This is pitiful to her. We're taught teamwork by the time we're six or seven so that our pups can integrate with us. So, no, not ready."

Kurenai had a gleam in her eye that bothered Kiba for some reason. When she smiled slowly, he felt his hackles rise. "You, Inuzuka Kiba, are now the commanding leader of this group. You will teach your team as if they were Inuzuka, making them work together. You have four days until then to get them within decent shape. Don't let them down."

As the woman sat back, Kiba felt his brain stick. Pulling his mind back on the tracks of actual thought he stood and gathered his teammates together. This was going to be hard but he'd do it.

_:Nii-kun, we can do it!:_ said a small yip. He looked down to Ichigo and her twin tails as she grinned like a fox. Akamaru just grinned and yipped since he could no longer actually bark.

_:And think, you'll be able to bring this mangled pack into a semblance of working order instead of chaos.:_

Kiba nodded at the two and looked at his teammates. Sakura was already working her way up, but it was far from enough. She barely knew the academy style of taijutsu. She was still scrawny and under muscled. She _dieted_ of all things. Still, she was smart. She knew things that others over-looked by skill of observation.

Choji was better off. Kiba knew for a fact that the tubby boy had muscles as hard as boulders beneath his round figure. He was able to pick up four and five hundred pound boulders with _one_ arm. He ate bags of chips like some kids popped Pez candy. He was generally slow unless in smashing mode. He didn't push to succeed at anything.

He was going to be running them and himself ragged to get them ready. Maybe Naruto would have an idea?

**1234567890**

Sasuke felt his tenuous rage slipping out in a murderous glare as Ino tried to fling herself at him despite the fact that the wattage for each zap went up six percent every time she did so. Shino growled at the girl and swatted her away. They had been nice about it. They had complained. They had petitioned for another teammate that showed promise. They had almost gotten one but Ino didn't have another team to exchange with. It hadn't happened and the two boys were this close to just up and hiding at the Uchiha compound and working with Naruto when he was available. Was it sad that they had learned more from the tenacious blond in one day than they had from their instructor of nearly seven days?

Sasuke stepped to the side as a brown blur forced his way through, accidentally tackling Ino when the target had been himself. The Uchiha stared at Kiba who was clutching the wrong prize.

"Kiba, what are you doing here?" Shino asked with a bland voice. Sasuke managed to keep his face blank as he observed the stunned blond girl and the lupine ninja teen. If he didn't know better, Sasuke would say that Ino was going gooey over Kiba from the near orgasmic look on her face.

"Che," Kiba murmured as he helped Ino to her feet with a wolfish grin. "Sorry, milady. I was aiming a little more to the right but I seemed to have missed my intended target," he purred while flashing a grin that made Sasuke shiver seeing the evil intent behind it. Never had the other two males heard such eloquence from the feral nin teen and their jaws threatened to drop to their knees. With a bow and a kiss to her hand, Kiba turned and grabbed Sasuke and Shino by their shoulders as he steered them from the stunned blond. "Good day, beautiful-hime. May our paths cross again."

Sasuke felt the stare for a long time, his neck crawling though it seemed the majority of the staring was not at himself but Kiba. He was silently rejoicing that he had one less fanatical fangirl to contend with. Out of the dozens, only Ino and Sakura seemed to always find him, track him down. If it weren't for the fact that he _knew_ they weren't high ranked kunoichi, he would have called them Hunter nin. Those two were just that scary sometimes.

Looking over at the two brunettes, Sasuke gave the eye to Kiba just as Shino was. "So, Kiba, what was that back there?"

Shino nodded that he too wanted to know, his eyes peeking over the rims of his sunglasses. " . . . Hai, Kiba-san. You are not usually so . . . eloquent."

Kiba seemed to blush. "Ah . . ." he scratched his chin as he looked anywhere but at his friends. "What can I say, I have a thing for blonds. Naruto is hot, too, but he's as strait as a ruler and will kick my ass for making moves on him." He shrugged.

Shino snorted and walked on, whistling merrily to the amazement and slight fear of his companions. It would be said that strange chills wracked the spines of many as he walked by.

**1234567890**

Naruto groaned as he lay on the ground beside Shikamaru. What a sucky way to loose a match! Well, battle of the minds, anyway. Hinata was rolling around cackling like a mad hen, her hair becoming more gray and beige with dust and dirt rather than its usually stunning midnight blue. Asuma sat smoking like a train and awaiting his turn to play the young genius Nara.

"I believe it is your turn, Asuma-sensei."

Hinata snickered some more as Naruto plodded off to the side and fell with a fake groan of pain to the ground. Asuma chuckled at them and reset the board as Shikamaru snorted at the siblings. "Troublesome."

Forty minutes later and Asuma threw his hands up in defeat even as he stared at the board in frustration and mild confusion. "I'll be damned! Beat, and just like that!" The older man snapped his fingers. Naruto snorted at the man and chuckled.

"Poor, sensei," he mocked with a sly grin. Hinata smacked his arm and rolled her eyes. Why did her brother have to be such a dork?

"NARUTO-NII-SAN! I FOUND YOU!"

Naruto perked up like a hound on the trail, his face bleaching out into white as he scrambled to his feet and rocketed off . . . but not fast enough. A rocket of red and blue plowed into his side and laid him out flat, Hinata trying so hard not to start laughing in his face. She knew this would happen eventually, but she hadn't imagined that the girl would find them on a day she should be in school.

"S-s-suki! What are you doing here?" Naruto stuttered out as he wheezed for breath. "Shouldn't you be at the school?"

The red clad, blue haired, blue eyed kunoichi in training pouted at the blond. "Natsuna-sensei had to leave early today. She went into labor right in the class and Iruka-sensei from down the hall had to escort her to the infirmary. And it sucks, nii-san. I turn thirteen in two months and I'm still in the little kids' classes. I want to be on a team with you and Nata-nee-chan. It's not fair!"

Naruto laughed outright and hugged one of his favorite girls to his side. "Silly girl, you failed the written exam on purpose one year, if I need remind you, and you have a late birthday which put you a class below me and Hinata." He then tapped her on the nose making her eyes cross cutely.

"Yeah, whatever, squirt. Come by the Uchiha compound if you're looking for Kagura. She's almost-but-not-yet-dating the Uchiha Chicken-Butt of Emo Doom. I've had to pry her off with a crowbar a time or two," Hinata said in a sly tone that let everyone know something was going through her mind and it was devious and may hap evil. Shikamaru shivered when an even more fierce and terrifying look graced the younger kunoichi Naruto had called Suki.

"Oh, well, if _that_ is the case . . ." her face morphed into a gleeful grin. "I have just the thing for little Kura-chan! Come Come Paradise Tatics and Icha Icha Love Tatics!" A little orange book made itself known as Suki fished it from her top, exposing to all and sundry that she was packing for a twelve-almost-thirteen year old and none of it was stuffed socks or tissue paper. And that she didn't wear a bra. "_And_, I can lend her the Icha Icha-Come Come Practical Guide Book if she needs it. I mean, how many virgins have access to my wonderful expertise and stash?"

Naruto blustered before just blinking and staring at Suki. "But aren't you a virgin too?"

"Not for lack of trying, I dare say. Alas, I'll be at least fifteen before I can do the nasty with anyone. Mom made me promise, as did Auntie." Suki's sigh seemed heartfelt before she perked up and strutted over to Shikamaru's lap to plop herself down. "But, hey handsome, if ya want, I'll make you my first. Of course, I _can_ do a whole lot of other things until then. What do ya say, sugar?"

Suki's hand was caressing Shika's face making the teen blush even as his face remained in it's stoic passivity. When he cleared his throat, he looked at anyone but the girl perched on his lap. "As . . . kind and _generous_ . . . as that offer sounds, I am currently interested in someone else at this time." His voice sounded kind of strangled but that might be because Suki had put his face in her breasts and was petting him like a prized pet.

The bluette pouted with large navy blue eyes glistening hauntingly in a brown sugar face. "Oh, pooh. And you are so _cute_. Ah. Oh well," she stood and straightened her shorter-then-normal skirt to it's tiny length against the top of her thighs. "I'll find me a good looking man to molest for a while. After I give Kura-chan some _lesson_ books, of course."

Just before she left, Kiba came running up to the team, stopping dead when the little she-devil known as Suki jumped him, pressing her firm breasts into his arm and chest as she straddled his waist. "My, my, Naruto-nii. What have you been up to? Such deliciously sexy men in your little family and not a one for me?" she pouted with a manic gleam in her eyes.

Naruto spluttered and colored before giving up and pushing Hinata over to deal with the girl. "Suki, hunny, as much as I love you, little sister, you are going to kill poor Naruto with all this. He just can't stand the thought of us girls being one day grown women with grown desires in our not-so-distant future." The darker bluette deftly ignored that her blond brother was choking. "And Tou-san is adjusting poorly as well. We may have to resort to page 63 in the Icha-Come practical to get the ball rolling."

Suki chuckled. It was the most evil sound any on the boys had ever heard in their – for all but one – short lives. Even Asuma made the attempt to "become part of Gaea" as he all but sank into the wood of his bench seat. Naruto held back a chuckle. It had been a while since he'd seen Suki, and it was always a shock, but he'd gotten used to the killer intent-that-wasn't since the intentions behind it seemed so much worse than death. Naruto had always thought she would be an excellent interrogations expert like Ibiki or Anko.

"Suki," he soothed to his friend and little sister in all but blood. The bluette turned to him with a question on her face. "Most of my family is like your family. You get my meaning?"

Her sprite face lit up and she smiled softly at them all, including Kiba who she was still sitting on. "Ah. I see, nii-chan. But, the old man . . ."

Naruto shook his head. "Nothing you can do for it, Suki. It's been left too long. Nothing good will come of messing with him now."

She nodded, moved off Kiba—flashing the stunned male with a devious smirk—and trotted over for a hug. "Au revoir, mon frere."

With a quick look over her shoulder and a fluttery finger wave for Shika and Kiba, she skipped off, her healthy assets bouncing and drawing attention from every male within sighting distance. Naruto had never heard the streets so full of anguished screams before. He was kinda figuring he might go asexual, too. Kunoichi . . . He shivered and looked back at his bond brother.

Kiba, too, watched her go, his eyes wide. "Is she related to Kagura-chan?" At the sage nod of the bewhiskered blond, the brunette blinked twice, shook his head, then shook all over as if trying to rid himself of water. "I thought Kagura-chan was unique in her oddness. I now find that her . . ."

"Older cousin," Hinata supplied as she dusted off everything, even her hair, when she took a second to notice the state of her clothes.

"Right. Cousin," he stated calmly until he reached his feet, at which point he thrust his finger in Naruto's face as the lupine teen snarled. "I find that her cousin is just as insane and vicious as the other, only this one in a pure hentai! And after any male willing to let her get away with murder! They should all be quarantined for the good of society!"

Naruto was truly lost. "HUH?"

Kiba spluttered, foaming at the mouth even as Ichigo and Akamaru laughed. _:Kura-nee played a trick on Kiba-baka-nii,:_ Ichigo yipped merrily. Akamaru was laughing too hard to say anything himself as he rolled around. _:Apparently, Kura-nee has been gossiping with Yamanaka-san and helping the pretty blond fem set up a fanclub.: _

Naruto felt his mouth twitching. Hinata choked and went red in the face. They looked at each other, Kiba, the puppies, and back before exploding. Even Shikamaru hid a devious smirk by putting his face in his arms as if uninterested. Outside of Naruto, the Inuzukas, and other similarly bound companions, no one heard the words within the sounds of the beasts. He'd have to test this tonight with the others and then caution them.

Kiba, seeming to finally remember why he had come, looked at Naruto with a worried but hopeful grin. "And I will apologize about all of that if you can tell me how to make my team presentable to Kaa-san."

Naruto blinked at the turn-about. Kiba was acting so _odd _all of a sudden . . . He needed to talk to Tsume-san and see if it was an Inuzuka thing. "Um, well," he pondered, the classical thinking pose coming naturally as he rubbed his chin. Then a grin of unholy terror split his face in half showing all those elongated and pointy teeth of his. "Bring them by the compound tomorrow. I'll get you three started at six that morning, so eat light but make sure you're full. I got just the thing and I can't have you all stopping halfway through, can I?"

Kiba gulped and saw his entire life flash before his eyes. He was going to regret this to the nth degree, he just knew he was.

**1234567890 To Be Continued 1234567890**

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A/N#2: And we have SUKI, our little hentai of feminine terror! She will now hit on anything male and breathing. Age has nothing to do with it. All while trying to give sexual advice. And, unfortunately, I will have her paired (a background pairing, but still) with one of the guys. Who? You're not allowed to know yet or the entire plot/idea/bunny would be killed horribly and it's going to be funny when it happens. I hope.

Sorry I've been update Tipping the Scales more that this one, but I got stuck and had to introduce Suki a whole two chapters early due to the fact that I had to trash half the chapter and that didn't leave a good length to post at all. This is why I hate plot holes. Things tend to fall in them and are never seen again. And to let a few know, this will have **SLASH** elements, though far from the main pairings.

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**_INFORMATION ON OFC:_**

Tamashii Suki – cousin to Kagura and about 2 ½ years older than the eleven year old making her 12-13. Again of the Tamashii Clan, she'll be a more mature (if somewhat perverted) version of Kagura. She'll be brown sugar skin toned, navy blue eyes, riveting royal blue hair. Wears lots of red . . . And reads Icha Icha and Come Come. (They are the same, I know, but for the story they are two separate series)


	11. Hot damn! Over 5000 words!

**A/N: Author's Note at bottom. Please read it, hm?**

_-Morris Code-_

"_**KYUUBI TALKING TO NARUTO AND HITOGOROSHI.**_"

"**Hitogoroshi talking to Kyuubi and Naruto.**"

"_Naruto talking to Hitogoroshi and Kyuubi._"

_Naruto thinking to himself._

"Regular talking."

"_**Two or More (Hito, Kyu, and-or Naruto) talking at once**_"

_:Akamaru, Kuromaru, or a dog/fox speaking:_

**1234567890 **_Chapter 11_** 1234567890**

Naruto sighed and palmed his face. Yesterday, all the newly bonded had confirmed that they could more-or-less understand the canine pups, some better than others. This morning, he was working with said pups, Kiba, Choji and . . . Sakura. Now he was wondering how he had gotten roped into helping Kiba deal with his problem. He could understand why the teen had come to him, Naruto was Kiba's alpha and all, but this seemed to be pushing Naruto's tolerance level for foolishness.

"_**This is kind of funny."**_

"**I think I've found out why dying wasn't so bad. At least now I can't be forced into being an instructor of any kind."**

"_I think you two should shut your mouths before I let one of you drive this Fools Errand." _

"_**What, and have to deal with pink-bitch and the walking meatball? I don't think so, tiny Tim."**_

"**Kyu has a point, Na-ru chaaaan,"** Hito sang. The mallet that just happened to appear over his head, and just happen to fall on his face when he looked up, and just _happened to flatten the little bastard_ was not Naruto's fault. Nope, not at all. Kyu rolled around cackling like mad as she watched her lover being flattened.

Naruto whistled a tune as he watched the pinkette fall over the obstical course wall with a devious smile splitting his face. "Choji! Sakura is your teammate. You've already gotten over the wall. Kiba can only do so much from this side, so help her out. What do you think team work is?"

Turning away from the sudden dog pile as Akamaru, Ichigo and Kiba leap over – and onto their teammates – Naruto focused on his other problem. "Shino, Sasuke, what are you two doing here? I thought you had practice with your sensei?"

Sasuke scoffed. "Our sensei won't be at the training fields for another four hours. It was either this or deal with Ino."

Shino coughed into his jacket. To Naruto, it sounded suspiciously like a chocked off laugh. " . . . It would seem that, while the jutsu is effective, Ino-san has more stamina and a higher pain tolerance than most training genin."

Naruto now felt his own lips twitching. Biting his cheek to keep from out right laughter, Naruto nodded as he tried to think of something new . . . something _effective_, really. His brow furrowed after a second. His eyes widened when a wonderfully _insidious_ idea popped into his head. He even heard Kyu and Hito cackling in the background. So, this was all his own then? Excellent.

"What I have in mind make even Neji and Tenten scream in fear!" he declared to all. Kiba, Hinata and Choji shuddered, Sakura blinking in non-comprehension. Sasuke and Shino were actually looking at each other contemplating whether or not it was worth it. Naruto made a "move it" motion and Kiba's team continued on. All was fairly quiet, the morning a comfortable non-silence as birds chirped and the wind blew lightly through the tree tops. A screech of "SASUKE-KUN! INO IS HERE TO FETCH YOU, MY LOVE!" made them all jump.

Naruto bit his lip. "Or I have another idea, but Kiba will be taking the brunt of the blow out," he whispered so that Kiba couldn't possibly hear over Choji's bull-rage roar as his last bag of chips were soaked by the mini-moat.

Sasuke looked at Naruto desperately though his voice stayed monotone. "Do that one first. If it doesn't work, we'll resort to more . . . drastic measures." He gulped as another call came, other voices sharing in the banshee scream. "I just – I just don't think I could handle what Hinata calls a Gai-Lee Induced Coma Of Youth. Not right now."

Naruto nodded. "Alright. What you are going to do is spar at full capacity. No pulls on this one or I'll have to introduce you to Gai-sensei." Sasuke and Shino blanched, one much more obvious than the other, and Shino's glasses slipped down his nose with sudden perspiration.

Naruto smirked as he sauntered off with a jaunty step. When he was sure he was out of sight of everyone, he felt the sweating start. How in the pink panties was he supposed to get away with this? If the fangirls didn't ravage him like savage animals, Kiba was likely to break him into itty-bitty pieces, alpha or no.

Staring at the gates with something akin to terror, he gulped and henged into every fangirl's dream guy – AKA Sasuke – and slouched outside with a grumpy scowl and pout lips. The girls squealed, surging forwards. "Sasuke" hn-ed at them and at least two swooned as they all stopped a few feet away. Then, a smirk of such devious nature had them all salivating at what wicked idea could have made that look appear. More than one girl outright blew off from nose bleeds when he poofed in all his naked glory. Most of them had cameras out but not one shot was of Sasuke. No, Inuzuka Kiba was the one in his birthday suit now, flexing and grinning mischievously. Not only was Kiba better sculpted and brawny, but there was a wildness to his sex appeal that made many a fangirl switch sides. Those inclined to yaoi thought processes were getting doujin wrote out in their heads.

Naruto decided to really play with them and flowed into Shino, the bug boy having a few fangirls now. If he was going to get killed over this, it was going to take more than one to do it. It helped that all the guys he knew were well . . . _endowed_ for their young age. Not to mention having washboard abs with perfectly defined muscles everywhere. Of course, he couldn't resist and did the same in his own image. The flashing of cameras hadn't stopped yet and even a few were exchanging rolls of film or camera cards.

To finish out the set of guys, namely his clan, Shikamaru finished the presentation in a lazy flare. When he finally went _poof_ in substitution, the fangirls were all running off in a daze, most of them making their way to the photography studios used by the shinobi of Konohagakure. It would be commented that the ladies and gentlemen behind the counters had never seen such well-developed teens and more than what was recorded had to be sent home due to blood loss and a realization that they were lusting after jailbait, even by ninja standards.

He sat on the wall as he watched them all. He was just glad that it was mostly over. Tomorrow would be the fall out day when all the girls realized that they hadn't gotten one naked picture of Sasuke.

**1234567890**

It actually took until the day of Kiba and his team training under Tsume-san that there was a general outcry. Naruto and Hinata were sparring as Shikamaru challenged Asuma to another round of Shogi. The jounin was crying over his seventh straight loss before blustering himself into another round.

"That man never learns," Naruto muttered. Hinata nodded as she darted forward with her arm outstretched, two fingers glowing with chakra. Naruto bent back and slithered away in a tucked roll.

"Truly. Even you stopped playing mind games with Shika."

Naruto sighed as he dodged another glowing set of fingers. He knew he was one never to give up, but man did having his ass handed to him by such a lazy boy bite his ego in half. He slid into the splits and swung his forward leg around, knocking Hinata off balance when he caught one of her ankles. It didn't really slow her down, but it let him roll out of the way as she torpedoed into the ground where he had lain. Pushing himself to his feet, he was forced to jump straight up, rolling as he hit the ground and righted himself. Hinata was on him again, forcing him to dodge without touching, the blond swinging forward with an outstretched hand to repel his sister. She stumbled back and coughed before dry heaving.

"Oops," he mumbled as he rubbed his neck. "I hadn't thought I'd put that much chakra on my hands. It's a little less that yours, actually." He stood there perplexed for all of ten seconds. "HEY! Were you _trying_ to kill me? What would have happened if your blows had hit?"

Hinata came up for breath, her eyes watering. "No, aniki. I was actually molding it into scalpels of a sort. They were blunt so don't worry."

Naruto sighed and rubbed his face. Damn, he was getting tired of things jumping out to bite him. It was annoying and just damn well frustrating. _First Kiba, getting Ichigo, then the power transfer resulting in a whole new clan right under Jii-jii's nose, not to mention that everyone now can turn into women . . . and doesn't that have all kinds of pranking potential?_

There was a shiver of awareness, something tingling up his spine akin to soul searing terror. He looked around him, his senses going haywire as he tried to pinpoint the sensation. That's when he knew. _They_ were here to take his soul and burn it in the depths of Hell and make him repent for trying to fool them. Well, _they_ would have to work harder than this. He was a King among amateur pranksters and this would be _The Test_ to see if he could throw the guilt to someone else. _They_ were . . . _Fangirls_.

"Uzumaki . . . were you the one to trick us?" hissed someone with a whispering, low voice. Naruto shivered and tried very hard to not just run like a guilty person.

" . . . What?" he asked, his voice cracking. He could see Asuma and Shikamaru moving away at a snail's crawl, only noticeable since they were now several feet away from the game board.

"Uuuuu-zuuuu-maaaaa-kiiieeeeeeeeee, ansssswer ussssss!" raged many voices in a tone that made the skin crawl and Naruto whimper under pressure.

"W-what d-d-did I d-do?" he cried in a fair imitation of someone who has been wrongly accused. Well, he sure as hell was _not_ going to be caught by psycho chicks with demonic voices so he had to play it up. Poor Sasuke was likely to skin him alive once he was through, though. "W-wait! When! When did I d-do it?"

If it was possible to crawl from a movie into real life, these girls were it. Forget _The Ring_, that little girl may have been scary but times her by about sixty and you have an army of undead-looking teens with revenge in mind as they moved from all sorts of places, many he didn't even want to think about as he doubted his heart could take it. One even stepped _out of a tree_ right beside him with pasty features and pale, blueish-gray eyes that looked insane. He prayed fervently to anyone listening to not let him die a horrible fangirl-induced death. It just wouldn't be right.

"Why do weeeee not have picturessss of Ssssssassssukeeeeee?" Naruto actually started crying. Hinata took one look at her brother and then pierced the other girls where they were with a stare even Shinigami knew better than to put on her face.

"Enough," she spat, her saliva actually a mild acid that made the skin rash when it touched those closer to her. Several cried out and shook whatever body part had been attacked. Was Naruto ever grateful that he had taught her to do that. "The fact that you are still going after a boy who is, may I remind you, dating not only someone else, but a close friend of mine, tells me you all need a psych evaluation. If you little tarts aren't out of here in three seconds, I will unleash Mother Nature's Gift on all of you still here. One!"

Naruto had never seen fangirls move so quickly away from anything, much less another girl. The blond gave his sister hero-worship eyes. She was . . . she was _Goddess Supreme_! He bowed to her, kowtowing like a worshiper of a fanatical god. "Oh, Goddess Supreme! I worship thee!"

Shikamaru was down there with the blond in milliseconds, Asuma soon joining. By the end of the week, every male ever assaulted by the _Fangirl_ was making a shrine to their newest Goddess Supreme in adoration. Flowers strew her path and many brought her presents. Married men had to, of course, explain to their wives why a _teenager_ was their newest idol, the story of how she had defeated an accursed army of Fangirls having been retold and exaggerated.

But that wouldn't be for a while and it was nearing lunch.

"I can't believe they keep telling people about me scaring off fangirls," Hinata scowled into her ramen bowl as she contemplated stabbing Naruto in the butt with a chopstick. Ayame laughed as she set out another bowl.

"It's just never been done before. I mean, how many people stand up to fangirls of all things?" Ayame swirled a fishcake around before eating it, Hinata contemplating her older friend. Old Man Ichiraku did good by Ayame, especially as the ramen maker was her only parent. One thing was for sure, his little girl was a world class ramen cook.

Finally coming to a decision, Hinata look Ayame in the eye. "Meme-chan, who do you think would be a good match for Naruto?"

Ayame stopped munching, looking at her friend closely. "Meh, Nata-chan. What are you talking about? I mean, you're twelve and thirteen! Why are you worried now?"

Hinata looked over all the people in the stand, the small gang that was her brother and several of their new clan along with Kagura and Sakura. "I'm just thinking how everyone has already started their wooing, talking to their 'one and only' in the romantic sense. I'd be worried for myself if I didn't have such high expectations. But Naruto . . . who _our age_ would be worth it, Meme?"

Ayame started ticking people off on her fingers, not really getting much in the way. "Wow. Now that you mention it, I wouldn't pair that poor boy off with anyone his age _or_ a year or two younger. Older? Maybe. Kurenai has been on-again-off-again dating Asuma, I'm not interested in someone who's practically my brother, Tenten-chan is slobbering over Ice Prince Hyuuga, and the only one half decent in attitude is Anko."

Hinata snorted. "Decent in the same sentence as Anko? Are you kidding? She shows more skin than clothes!"

Ayame laughed. "True, true." She snorted. "Or lover boy could date outside the village. I don't doubt that once he's somewhere less antagonistic, he'll find some pretty little princess and make her swoon. That or the scariest bitch in existence with a little Uzamaki charm under his belt."

Hinata grinned. "Both."

"Is that a bet, lil' Nata?" Ayame murmured with a maniacal gleam in her eye. Hinata leaned in close and grinned.

"Hell yes it is. Want to make something of it?"

Ayame grinned. "Give me two days."

**1234567890**

Kiba had known his mother was going to be brutal, but this made him too pissed for words. She had deliberately put his team in a situation they could not deal with, not now, not even with more teams for back up. This was unjust and cruel and she knew it.

"Kiba," whimpered Sakura as she slid against Choji's back. Akamaru and Ichigo were held in Choji's arms as Sakura did her best to keep the Inuzuka Pack from ripping them a new one. "Can I take them off now? It hurts to run."

Kiba felt his brow go up. Weights. They were _all_ wearing weights with a Hinata-class genjutsu tag on each one. "Deactivate the tag before dropping them. Sakura, do Choji's ankles, I'll get his wrists. You, Choji, are to head straight for the safety zone. Sakura and I will be defending you this time. Your family jutsu makes you too venerable against these kind of opponents."

Choji nodded silently, the pups in his hands crying out as first the genjutsu tags dispelled then the weights drop with a thunderous sound. Unburdened, the chunky boy was able to more carefully cradle the puppies and they sighed. They had not been ready for this. Not even close.

Sakura had his ankle weights off seconds later, stepping back and disengaging her own while Kiba gave a feral grin. "You'll have to excuse us," he murmured as his own weights left a crater and a thick cloud of dust and earth, the three escaping in the scent and sound confusion with speeds almost unheard of for genin. It took almost thirty seconds for the pack to realize their quarry were moving so fast as to blur from sight.

Kiba was behind Choji urging him on, pushing him upright and forward when he was almost sent rolling as a pack member tripped him. Kiba snapped at the canine as Sakura and Choji blazed on ahead, the young heir striking out with Naruto-grade scent pellets. Flowers were scented in the air along with manure, water, garbage, and most notably a scent that was like rage manifest.

Kiba appeared with a mask over his face and shedding his over-scented jacket. The pack was suitably detained, Sakura and Choji at the safety zone tending to the pups and each other. The fights made on the way there were understated and quick, more Kiba dodging and speeding up just that tiny bit until he was _almost_ running flat out. The speed Kiba obtained had him there in mere seconds, the feral teen breathing pretty regularly despite the intense run from one end of Konoha to the other. Sakura could hardly believe that he had done that, though, her mind running on how it was possible if the feral had only started weight training a few days before this. Something was going on here and she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

"That was not the objective of the exercise," snarled Tsume at the three teens, Akamaru and Ichigo out from pain and exhaustion. Kiba gave his mother a stare down, not even flinching. He was under different management now and would not bow to another Alpha, not even his mother. He may lover her but Naruto and his new pack came first.

"No, it was to punish me and, in consequence, them for being on my team," he snarled as his hands went out to encompass the other two teens and the pups. "Is this how you will treat my Al—_Naruto_? How about Hinata and the others for associating with me and each other? Do you plan on taking him and the others down like you trying to do to us? I have seen your tests for _years_and you have never tried to do this to chunin much less genin fresh from the academy and green." Sakura gasped, Choji showing a look of extreme surprise. "If this is how it will be, I won't let my team be mistreated by my own mother. We will fail. Kurenai will know why. And you may never see me darken the door of _your territory_ again."

Tsume growled at her son, not showing the heart break. She couldn't help but try and make him see reason – _her_ reason – but that blond brat had made him different. Had made him _not hers_ anymore and it ate at her that she was not a strong enough Alpha to keep him at her side. Hana might have been great, but her potential was _not as an Alpha_. She would be the perfect subordinate, a strong right hand. But not Alpha.

"There is nothing to change your mind?"

Kiba looked at his mother. "He is _stronger_. He is _faster_. He is _wiser_." Kiba rubbed his face as he showed – _told –_ her what he meant, the speed Kiba was able to effect after such a short time, his ability to keep his team well and alive against impossible odds, his new inner strength that kept him from bowing to anyone who tried to dominate him. "He is _Alpha_ and no one, not even the Hokage, can truly stop him. And . . . he is my brother and best friend. He is a fair Alpha, taking his rule as not a burden, but a truth and responsibility to make sure we are _all_ alive. He would not turn away those in need, instead taking them in and making them the best they can be within his capabilities. He has made friends with those of power already and has yet to _leave_ the village. All you have to do is ask him."

Tsume stared at the backhanded plea to talk to Naruto, to listen to Kiba's Alpha and maybe even become a part of his life again. It would be a different role, but he would still be her child, her young Alpha. "You are dismissed for the day," she growled.

As soon as they headed back to where they had dropped their weights, she crumpled to the ground, tears trailing down her face. She shook. She felt like it all falling apart . . . and she felt a fluttering of freedom. Her sobs became louder, harsher even, as they jerked her body and made her gasp for breath. She wouldn't have to be Alpha anymore, a position she felt she was inadequate for without her first mate. She wouldn't send her children or her sisters or her brothers to their death. She wouldn't be responsible for the lives of the entire clan all alone anymore. Hana found her shortly after, her concern enough to bring Kuromaru to her mother's side to try an comfort the hysterical kunoichi. But not even Kuromaru could bring Tsume to tell him what was wrong. Only the scent of Kiba and his team and pack pups led him anywhere and guessed that they might have had a falling out. He was only half right, but it was a start of sorts.

Kiba looked to his team, sighing as he ran a hand through his wild mane of hair. "I'm sorry about Ma, guys. She's been worried about me since I found another Alpha."

Sakura blinked wide-eyed. "New Alpha? Is it possible outside the clan?"

Kiba should have known that the pinkette would know something of his family. She was quite intelligent with a remarkable ability to put pieces together in correct order. He nodded slightly for her benefit. "But, if that's true, why haven't more tried to do it? Your clan is so strong and fast, not to mention well known for their battle strategy and ferocity."

Kiba rubbed his neck in a move picked up from Naruto. "Ah, now that's the clincher. It has to be someone we at the very least see as equals or enormously strong with a basic knowledge of the clan. Since not many actually _know_ anything about the clan, not many can take the position of Alpha. Not for lack of trying, but most would rather die than be under rule of a tyrant. It is how the Inuzuka are."

Sakura nodded. "That would make sense. Not many are that dedicated to taking over the enemy." She quieted for a few minutes as Kiba looked the pups over, wincing when he found that Akamaru had a sightly crushed tail. "But," Kiba looked back at his teammate, "can you tell us who your Alpha is? I just assumed it was Tsume-san."

Choji munched away on another bag of chips, tipping his head as he studied his new friend. "Yes. Are we allowed to know?"

Kiba shrugged. "Not now, no. We are still too new for anyone outside our little family to know and if someone did find out, my Alpha could be executed for doing this without the knowledge of some of the higher ups. The other clans don't know because my mother keeps trying to fight for me and take me back."

Choji whistled. "Damn, Kiba. Your mother has really let this go too long." Kiba nodded at the assessment. "Then, if you and your new family need help, I'll be there. I might not be much now, but I think with a little bit of snitching I can improve enough to be a help."

Kiba grinned at them. "Thanks, Choji."

Sakura stood and declared softly, "And I will do my part. It is wrong to try and destroy your Alpha if what you said about him is truth. I think I might like to be a part of his pack one day, if as nothing more than a friend and companion." She bowed before heading off, her weights on and the genjutsu reactivated. Kiba shared a look with Choji.

"If only there was a clan of her, ya know?" Kiba remarked. "Once she learned that Sasuke was not an idol and that he was taken, she settled down to be one scarily smart girl that could do anything if given the chance."

Choji nodded and helped Kiba take the pups out for lunch. They caught up to Sakura along the way, inviting her to come with, her cheerful face welcome to the two boys who were getting used to this new Sakura. She wasn't _demure_, per say, but a lot less fanatical and lot more analytical. A blessing and a curse, for sure, but much better than a fangirl.

"Ichiraku-san!" Choji exclaimed jovially. "Three bowls of beef and one of rabbit, if you have it."

Old Man Ichiraku laughed at the teen, dishing out the four bowls of goodness. Sakura made her order for a miso ramen with extra onions and fishcakes, laughing at Kiba's face. When Naruto along with Shikamaru and Asume arrived carrying Hinata like a queen, Sakura gave them a puzzled look before asking just what had she, Hinata, done for such royal treatment. Kiba and Choji both ended up bowing before the Goddess Supreme, Sakura laughing uproariously and thanking her lucky stars that it hadn't been her there too.

. . . Not that she wouldn't try and get her hands on some of those pictures.

**1234567890**

Shino cracked his neck as he waited, Kakashi putting Sasuke through his paces with the Uchiha kata. Ino had been "tied down" with his bugs, the kikaichu running all over the catatonic girl's skin. Hey were having too much fun making her stay that way but Shino was in no hurry to bring the insects to heel. It was too peaceful.

"I'm bored," Sasuke groused to him once Kakashi left for a second, stretching out so that he could really spar against Shino. Shino nodded in agreement, testing a kick and punch combination he had been working on.

"Want to spar? Kakashi-sensei won't be back for a while." Shino's brow went up. "I've been giving him Naruto's experimental stuff."

Shino shook his head, laughter trying to spill from his lips. " . . . will he be alive?"

Sasuke snorted. "Unfortunately."

They stepped into each other, the raven sweeping out a leg. Shino flipped over him, hand already smacking his neck with a little chakra applied. Sasuke turned into a log, the wood splintering with ease. Shino looked for him, jumping to the tip of the staff that emerged from the ground, the raven spewing flames along the length of fire tempered wood. The brunet had to leap away to safety, his body folding away as a kunai pierced his stomach, bugs exploding with a buzz.

Sasuke cursed when he had to hold himself from the ground with the staff as Shino tried his trick, only without the long hunk of wood. Twisting, the raven set his feet on Shino's shoulders and sprang away, the brunet almost catching him in the face with a kunai that had been thrown straight up. The raven vaulted further on his pole, trying to find a good distance to do a jutsu. His staff went to his spine a chakra held it there, hands flashing too fast to see as he blew several balls of blue and orange fire at Shino and the kikaichu trying to move in on him. It was when Shino switched with his pole that he was defeated, the brunet helping his friend to his feet.

To their poor ears' abused state, Ino was once again awake and not exactly going rabid fangirl, but cuddling Sasuke no matter how he protested. Finally getting fed up, he forced a little of the poison that he had used on Kakashi on Ino and seconds later she was running for the nearest convenient restrooms. Looking at each other, they made like bats out of hell and ran, settling themselves in a dango shop, listening to the gossip.

One name caught their attention.

"Yeah, she fought them all off without even moving!" exclaimed a supposed "eye witness" to the scene. "All hale Hinata-sama! Goddess Supreme!"

The two shared a look. This was . . . odd. Well, _odder_ than usual. By the end of lunch, both were seriously considering proposing to their sister but it held little appeal. Besides, Sasuke reasoned, I have Kura-chan.

When they returned, both Kakashi and Ino were yet to appear. Kagura, little imp, seemed to find out this information like a blood hound. She was wrapped around Sasuke, telling him what really happened when she had had lunch with Hinata and Naruto, the raven laughing. Shino shook his head, leading the way to the compound for a little private workout as he wondered what would happen next. Not every week would be this crazy, would it?

A shiver of foreboding told him to not ask such questions.

**A/N: if it looks like it's a bit more aggressive and pissed off than usual, that would be because I am sick and cranky and not even worth the company right now. Hopefully, it sounds alright. I've only re-read it six times now. Still, if I have made another plot hole, let me know. I've gotten better at spotting them, but I do know what's going on and can (and usually will) over look them. **

**And, hey, let me know I have readers . . . please? A review with a smiley face or a word of wisdom goes a long way to helping me write. I know it sounds silly, but the more reviews I get, the more I seem inspired to write. **


	12. Chapter 12 6,148

A/N: Now we're getting somewhere . . . kind , HEY!, let me know you guys exist . . . please? I'm wonder if I'm writing for just myself now since I have like two reviews only for each chapter. Not very motivational. Sorry, all. I'm a pathetic pansy like that.

**Mild warnings**: slight-to-severe perversion, extreme mentions of violence best left unsaid, anger issues, death (not a main character, PROMISE!), and . . . I think that's it. If it's not, let me know, kay?

**1234567890** _Chapter 12_ **1234567890**

It had been almost two days since the "Fangirl Incident" and Naruto was wondering when the hubbub would die down. Hinata had already nearly had a handful of heart attacks and accident-on-purpose paralyzed at the very least three people who had jumped from _nowhere_. If fangirls were crazy scary, then the fanboys were delusional eff-ups. **((A/N: Sorry fan people. I don't mean to rag on you, but it **_**is**_** funny. Can't say much though as I am a fangirl, too.))**

That night, after making sure the doors were barred, Naruto sat with Arashi to talk about Kiba's problem, the older blond sighing. "Tsume is a great leader but has a tendency to second guess her actions afterward which leaves her an emotional wreck. When her husband had been alive, he made sure that she didn't spiral too far into a depression . . . which this is starting to sound like."

"You mean that we caused Tsume-sensei to go into a mental meltdown?" Naruto looked horrified, his wide eyes conveying just how much this bothered him. Arashi shook his head.

"No, nothing like that. It was probably a catalyst, but not the main cause. When an Inuzuka mates, they do so until death do they part. If and when a mate dies, the other half has well over fifty percent chance of following. It's not because they are weak, but because they feel too deeply for their partner to keep living in emptiness. Rare is it for an Inuzuka to take a second mate and I have only heard of one having three . . . and that was at the same time. Obuji or something to that effect, a far far distant ancestor of Kiba." Arashi sighed into his hands. "I think Tsume has been dealing with depression since she was young and deep depression since her mate's untimely demise. It's only gotten this bad due to everything happening at once and she probably refusing mental and emotional help."

Naruto sighed and nodded in understanding, rubbing his face to try and help him think. "So .. . can we do anything?" Arashi shook his head and Naruto sighed in defeat. "We wait?"

"For now."

**1234567890**

It was their one free day, Sunday, and Naruto had gathered all the guys together with Kagura and Hinata acting as wardens of a sort. "Alright. You've had plenty of time to think about this, forget it, and now I'm gonna shove it all back down your throats."

Naruto prowled the room silently, looking at the mildly bewildered faces of his comrades. Only Shika and Shino seemed to have some inkling of what this might be about. "You boys are gonna be girls in the next few minutes and nothing you say will get you out of it. You have to learn sometime and now is the best. Hinata and Kagura will be helping but," Naruto poofed into feminine form, clothes hanging from a softly curving frame on a _normal_ looking girl sporting raven hair, green eyes, and pale skin in a purple shift and green stockings, "I will be the instructor."

His voice had softened up several degrees and his smile was much kinder, sweeter. Sasuke and Kiba both looked shocked and Shino, Shikamaru and the pups – the little ones didn't know why _they_ had to be here – twitched almost violently. It wasn't that this was unheard of . . . but they _knew her_. "Noburahime-sama" mixed with "Ruriko-chan" as voices let their shock be known.

"Hello, minna!" Naruto/Ruriko chirped brightly.

Hinata giggled at the faces of the other boys, her eyes dancing with enjoyment. "And just think, you'll be like Ruriko in no time!"

Sasuke groaned into his hands. "Why am _I_ here then?"

Hinata smirked. "Because, you are going to learn this or be banned from the next trick Naruto will be teaching you. Just think of the things you could do on an undercover mission with a body like that. Or even this. Oroiki no jutsu!" The Hinata that stood before them was not a little girl anymore. No, she was a woman grown, her giant bosom held in a tiny baby-tee with skimpy ripped shorts better suited to underwear status with blue stockings and garter belt. Her hair was long and an even brighter blue, her eyes now as blue as Naruto's, and her skin just as pale as Ruriko's. "Call me Hanako-chan, everyone. I'm Ruriko's big sister and a scary one at that!"

Kagura decided to join in the fun. "Oroiki no jutsu!" Standing in her place was a pretty, tall, and voluptuous woman with ebony hair, pale skin, and pink eyes. Her tiny baby-doll dress didn't even go halfway down her thighs but pink stockings made the illusion of being pants if only until you noticed they were held up by a garter belt. Her long black hair was held down by a ribbon at her waist as she swayed on her platforms like a dancer. "And I am Kimiko-chan, also Ruriko's big sis and Hanako-chan's little sis."

Jaws dropped, the guys outright fainted at one point, and the pups were traumatized for life. These were the notorious Noburahime sisters, the girls every guy wanted. Even _they _had a few fantasies about them and this made their entire life a disturbing LIE! Ruriko laughed at them, her face showing Naruto's personality without the big fox grin. "Don't worry, there is a Noburahime, but she's an only child and an orphan. Luckily, she is the next best thing to a sister and let us adopt ourselves to her name and family. Momoko-chan is really a girl."

Hinata/Hanako dumped a bucket of water on them all forcing them out of their brain dead stupor. "Alright, everyone, two to an instructor. Sasuke, Kiba, you two are with me. Shino, Shikamaru, you go with Kagura. Ichigo and Akamaru, take Naruto." When no one moved, she pelted them with water balloons from her bag. "Now, people!"

Shino and Shikamaru left at a run with a cackling Kagura/Kimiko to another room, the two breathing in relief to be out of range. It was as if Hinata had planned for their complete shock . . . then again, this was Hinata, so maybe she had. Of course, they had the one "teacher" that would be just as evil as Hinata. "Alright, you two. These mirrors are here to help prefect your look. These," she held her hands out for them to see as she did the signs, "are the sequence you must memorize. Once you have that, focus chakra like you would for a henge . . . but, due to your new natures, it will be a _complete_ transformation unlike the henge which is like makeup. False but can be convincing far away. This will under go even ANBU scrutiny."

Shino raised his hand and Kimiko called on him. "How do you know that?"

Kimiko/Kagura blushed. "I'll tell you after you complete your transformation. You have two hours and this pile of reference. Begin!"

Reference meaning porn. They really wanted to be elsewhere . . .

**With Hanako/Hinata:**

"Alrighty, boys, into the mirrored room. We have two hours to get this right and I won't be the last one, got it?" the woman ordered in a very Hinata way. Sasuke and Kiba gulped. This was not going to end well for them, they just knew it. Sharing a look of misery, they trudged into the room with Hinata bringing up the rear.

Turning around to face her students, the girl smirked. "Watch my hands and copy them. Don't deviate, we haven't figured out what would happen it you do." She went through the hand signs a few times. "Think of the form you want as you convert chakra for a henge. Picture it with clarity as you let the change take you. If you need references, here is a pile of Kakashi's best that Naruto and I stole about a month ago. It has several different body types to choose from, as you can see between Kimiko, Ruriko and I. When you are through, you might be introducing your new selves to the public so better get it right."

Sasuke settled down with a magazine nearby since, though he was on a team with a girl and one of his best friends was a girl, he had no actual reference to go by. He quickly shut the glossy pages, face flaming. He wasn't a pervert, but he was still a guy. "So, like this?" he asked as he stood. "Oroiki no jutsu!"

It was . . . an epic FAIL. Hinata had him in front of the mirrors, pointing out what he had done wrong and critiquing him. Kiba tried next, his a bit better but no less a fail. Giving them pages to look at, girls in provocative detailed poses, they tried again, Kiba actually getting close, but not quite. Sasuke hunched over a small stack, picking out his form, his mind too analytical to register the arousing pictures as such. "Hm . . . I think I know what we have so much trouble with."

With a last "Poof!" he was a beauty the likes of which Naruto, Hinata and Kagura had achieved. Only he was very much naked. Kiba took considerably longer since he couldn't stop his reactions even when not focused on them, his body betraying him as he tried to learn his new form. Hinata ended up pouring ice down his pants.

Fifteen minutes to spare had her taking her charges over to Kagura/Kimiko's room to compare their body studies. "They're not bad. Other than the fact that they sometimes can't remember to picture the clothes clearly enough, they have it down."

Kimiko nodded. "Yeah, they're getting good at it. Shino already keeps his clothes on every time. Shikamaru misses once out of every seven, though. Not the best, but he's got one hot body."

"Think we could pass them off as cousins?" Hanako asked seriously. "We don't need random girls showing up without any cards or papers."

Kimiko thought about it. "Ruriko should take care of that. She's good at getting the guards to let anyone in."

"True."

**With Ruriko/Naruto:**

"Hey, pups. Ready to make yourselves almost human?"

_:Naru-onii-chan . . . How do we do that? We can't mold chakra like you and Hinata-onee-chan.:_ Ichigo whined softly. She plopped down with a sigh.

Ruriko squatted down. "It's not so much the molding as the image you want to take on. With Kyuubi's chakra running through you, you should be able to achieve human transformation with little difficulty. And, when I'm like this, it's Ruriko, not Naruto. Can't let everyone know about this."

Akamaru thought about it. _:Do I have to be female?:_

Ruriko laughed. "For this time, yes, but I know you'll make a handsome boy. First, though, let's show those silly humans that you can do this."

Ruriko set out books and diagrams, the pups looking them over eagerly. Ichigo was the first to try and she got it right in one, though no clothes yet. Looking like a cute twelve year old, her hair was just as red as her fur as ever eyes blinked in a sky blue. "I did it!" Her new hands covered her human mouth in sudden shock, almost freaked out by the fact that she had _talked_ and not growled or barked. Ruriko squeezed her tightly in a hug.

"Don't be afraid, Ichigo. This is good, really."

Akamaru agreed, his tail wagging. _:My turn!:_

He tried, but he couldn't turn into a girl . . . no, he was always male. A cute little teen male, but still male. Ruriko "hmmed" and poked at his bare chest from where he sat after his sixth transformation. Kyu was conversing with him, pointing out just why Akamaru may not be able to do it.

"_**I'm a demon. I give parts of myself to all you when I share my chakra. Ichigo is obviously closer to my feminine side but I think Akamaru will be unable to ever train his chakra into a feminine mold. It just won't happen,"**_ Kyu remarked in a pondering tone. **_"He's pretty enough now to cross-dress, but I doubt he'll ever go all the way."_**

Ruriko relayed the message, Akamaru whining in a pout. Ruriko squealed in fangirlish glee, though, startling the pup-turn-human. "You're so kawaii, Akamaru! If you do that, you'll have men and women falling at your feet! This is great!"

Of course, Akamaru didn't think so. "Ew . . . humans at my feet? Why?" Ruriko laughed.

"It was an expression, though it might have a ring of truth. What I meant was that as a human child you are cute and human adults love cute children. Just like canine want and prize strong pups, humans prize cute babes. Now all we need to do is change your hair colors to black or blue. Having two or three different personalities to fall back on is not a bad idea, but this time for what I have in mind to work, you'll have to have black or blue hair. Your eyes can be any color, but you have to have black or blue hair."

Akamaru snapped at him—her! Damn it. "We get it already, damn it!" He huffed. "We're not stupid, Naru-nii."

Ruriko tugged on his hair. "First, I know you're not stupid, but it is easy an easy fact to forget if you get distracted. Second, I'm not Naruto, I'm Ruriko. Or Ro-chan."

Akamaru sighed and went about what he had been told, actually understanding since he could now see in color. It confused his canine brain to no end, but the color was there. Ten minutes to the deadline, Naruto had both of his charges in clothes – Akamaru could "wear" both a female and male set at his choosing – and sipping some milk as they waited for their human counterparts to emerge from the rooms. Four heavily blushing women wandered in, one constantly touching her clothes as if to reassure herself that they were there.

"Yatta!" Ruriko cried in her soft voice and she clapped her hands excitedly. "So who's who? Hanako and Kimiko did a good job on getting you trained."

One stepped forward, face red but eye direct. "I'm Sasuke, also known now as Norioko." Ruriko had to admit, Sasuke as a girl was hot. Tall but willowy, the raven was now stacked. Not so much as Kimiko, but not so little as Ruriko. Bright red eyes watched with apprehension as the dress she wore rode up as she walked forward to bow as if introducing him—herself for the first time. Her hair, so dark it was swallowing light, trailed down to her waist in a straight sheet of living silk and Ruriko walked around the new Norioko to check all the changes.

"Good, good, Norioko-chan. Go sit with Tanako and Yoyoko. Next."

Orange eyes met him this time, a pretty short woman with blue hair swinging to her knees in a braid. Wearing a short school girl skirt and a tied button-up blouse, Naruto was surprised to learn who it was. "I am Shino, now Sanako. My twin, Sunako. Also known as Shikamaru."

Another set of orange eyes, this one carrying a blush that went down the crevice of his—her new breasts, was attached to an exact replica of Shino with the skirt a good deal longer and a less daring shirt. Ruriko nodded her approval. "I'm guessing Shikamaru had some difficulty with this, am I right?"

Hanako nodded, her blue hair sliding around her shoulders. "Yes. It seems he is too analytical to truly be imaginative outside of a Shogi or Go board."

Ruriko had them stand as she went between them, sizing them up carefully. "Not bad. Really good, actually." She poked Shikamaru causing him to squeak but the transformation was complete. "I was just checking. Alright. Next."

The one who had to be Kiba made her way forward in such a provocative manner, Ruriko felt a hot and bothered no matter how much she _knew_ it was Kiba under the fox glamor. Pushing his new ample chest forward, the tiny shirt threatened to rip and Ruriko knew for certain now that she wasn't wearing a bra. The indecently small shorts gave Hanako's a run for their money as they made themselves home like a thong. Her hair was black and shorter than the others, caressing her shoulders in a wild disarray and complementing her yellow eyes. "I'm Tsumiko and older sister to Sanako and Sunako. Nice to meet you Ruriko-chan."

Ruriko smirked. "Yes, well, you all get a chance to use those new forms in about an hour. Momoko-chan informed the guards yesterday that her 'family' was coming to stay since all their things are now gone in a fire. Lost everything, including any papers or birth certificates. That and the hospital they used has been closed down for nearly fifteen years, not long after the last girl was born and before Tanako and Yoyoko. They were birthed by a midwife."

The others stared at Ruriko with astonished faces. "How long did it take you to make that up?" asked Nanako.

"About ten minutes, told it to Momoko, and now you all know." Hanako started laughing, Kimiko along with her.

"How do we do this, Ruriko-nee-chan?" asked little Tanako/Ichigo in her cute green and pink Lolita outfit. Yoyoko was also in a Lolita outfit, both the same color and style, and it was a little difficult to tell them apart when both had green eyes and black hair making them look like mini Ruriko dolls.

Naruto smirked. "Well, since Nata-chan and I," here Naruto turned back into himself, the short blond with blue eyes, "live outside the gates with Tou-san, I can more-or-less leave when I want. You all henge into inanimate objects here, we take you out there, and then you guys start on your way back into the village. I'll have a few clones along with you to represent Ruriko and the den mother."

The group nodded though the pups had to be taught how to henge. It didn't take but three tries in their human forms to get it right and now Naruto carried a small bag of stones. Six stones for six people.

Their plan went without flaw. A clone Ruriko explained why the teens had seen both "Ruriko" and Naruto on random days and made them aware of just how life like the clone would be . . . since even Akamaru had been fooled and he had the best senses of them all. "Ruriko" was left with Kimiko and Hanako with enough life to last three days, or so Naruto said. He waited until they were outside the gates before another clone was made and transformed into a very solid, very durable Minoko-san.

"Minoko-san is an aunt to Momoko and mother of – brace your selves – Tsumiko, Sanako, Sunako, Tanako and Yoyoko. The last two are named after her deceased sisters."

Naruto pulled his "clone" around with him so that she could remember who was who. "You are Minoko. Noburahime Minoko." He grinned as he looked over the blue haired woman, checking her purple eyes over for anything too suspicious and straightening her soft blue linen summer dress. "In four days time you will expire, bar any freak accidents, but before then you should come to me so that I can recharge you. Don't let this transformation drop. Bad things would happen."

"Yes, boss," the clone saluted. "Come on, girls, lets rock Konoha with our new _Sex_iness." Naruto watched them go, the group talking softly with henged bags over their shoulders full of feminine products and maybe a change of clothes. He figured that when they arrived the Noburahime "girls" were going to need a shopping trip. Fox clothing aside, the stuff _could_ vanish, they needed to see what it was other women spoke of so much and acclimate themselves so they could blend better. So . . . shopping.

Naruto was slowly walking back to the gates, trailing after the group of "women" by quite a bit. It wouldn't do them any good for the new Noburahime girls to be associated with him at all. The scream of terror and the sudden knowledge of his clan in danger sparked him forward as fast as he could run, streaking to the girls within moments.

It was their sensei Mizuki, the pale-haired man packing a large scroll on his back. Luckily, it was only "Minoko" that had a kunai to her throat but the others were immobile, just as civilians should be. Across from Mizuki was a team of ANBU, their white masks hiding all thoughts and emotions. Naruto was the unseen one for once, the teen shedding his orange for his black tank and tight running shorts. He was going to have to be extra cautious around this ticking time bomb.

"Give us the scroll, Mizuki-san," demanded one of the ANBU, an Inu-san if his mask was truthful.

"Ha! Yeah right. I'll just use this woman for a while longer until my Master comes for me and the scroll!" the foolish man snarled. Naruto's eyes darkened in fury as a hand went out to snag one of the other girls. "Maybe I take a few just in case I need to kill one, hm?"

That was it. Kiba had been threatened and though his bond brother could take care of himself, Kiba was in a new body without weapons or skill to benefit him. Dull hatred making him dent the branch he was perched on just by his fingers, he took a few leaves and swapped them for the girls, transporting them to the other side of the ANBU. The kunai to Mizuki's head went almost unnoticed in the confusion until he dropped dead in the middle of the road.

The utter rage that had filled Naruto left, his stomach trying to climb out of his mouth as he started heaving when he finally realized what he had done. He clung to the tree trunk, head pounding and ears hearing the dull roar of his blood pumping. He gagged again, everything he had eaten that day coming up and splattering loudly to the leaf covered forest floor, the sound almost echoing his disgust. A soft hand to his shoulder had him spinning around, a second kunai held in a trembling fist.

"Calm, Uzumaki-san. It is only us," said the ANBU carefully, the knife to his throat seemingly not bothering the masked man in the least. Naruto gulped air as he shook too violently to hold his weapon, dropping his arm as he slid down the trunk to sit straddling the branch. His hands covered his face, the kunai a dull ache compared to the utter tearing of his heart at killing another living being. "Is there anyone you need?"

Naruto thought about it, thought hard, and when he looked up, the puppy eyes were near killing level of adorable cuteness that had even the ANBU wanting to coo at him. "Nata. I want Hinata . . . please," he begged, holding his sides as the trembling became worse, his sight spiraling into light then abject darkness. The familiar scent of his sister had his vision focused, her blue hair like a beacon. "Nata," he said before he started crying, the bluette holding onto her brother tightly, rocking him gently.

"Sh, Naru-nii. I'm here. I'll make you feel better in no time, okay?" Naruto ended up snoring gently into her collar, the bluette unable to move. She gave a smile as the blond murmured about ramen, looking up at the ANBU standing guard. "I need help putting him on my back."

"We could carry him," muttered one. Hinata gave him a S-Class glare that had his body shivering of its own violation.

"No," she enunciated distinctly, "you can't. He knows my scent, is comforted by it. His nightmares would drown him before we even got to the gate. So, no, he is going to be carried by me, his sister."

One of the shortest ANBU Hinata had ever seen nodded and stepped forward on the branch to help maneuver the blond onto her back. Standing carefully, the girl walked to the edge and jumped from the tree to land a little harder than her build suggested. Then she was off, running as fast as the weights let her – which was a good deal slower than she _could_ go – and to the Uchiha compound to meet her friends and the "Noburahime sisters and their cousins" that had to stay there due to the limited space at Momoko's apartment.

"How is he?" asked Kiba was he rubbed his chest lightly over his heart. Hinata stilled his hand as she had Shino and Shikamaru help her put Naruto to bed.

"He will be fine. It was his first kill and it will always haunt him, but now he knows he can do it if he needs to." She sat and put his head on her lap, stroking his hair as he became restless. "I think Kyu is making the emotional aspect easier for him to ease into. This is the fastest I've ever seen a breakdown."

The others said nothing as they hung around the house the rest of the day, any one coming in to touch Naruto's hair or arm in reassurance when their connection to the blond strained too much. When he awoke, he cried some more, his eyes all red and puffy, his nose dribbling snot.

Kiba finally just up and bit him, starting an enormous fight between almost everyone but the girls as they watched from the side and Lazy Shikamaru. "I hope that they don't break anything too important. I can only heal minor fractures right now," mused Hinata.

Kagura snorted as she watched the melee. "Yeah, well, this is amusing in a blood sport type of way."

"Troublesome," intoned Shika morbidly.

**1234567890**

Hinata ranted at her sensei, Asuma completely bewildered as to why. Naruto chuckled softly behind his hand, the death still weighing on him but much less now. It had been almost a week since the Incident, as the Naruto-Clan group were calling it, and the horror of his actions was now tempered with very good reasons about what could have happened had Mizuki been allowed to get away. It took Hinata and Kiba to get him from his funk long enough to feel good about protecting one of the people who meant the world to him.

"YOU HAVE A _**SHRINE**_ TO ME IN YOUR HOUSE!" Hinata finally roared, the entire block emptying of civilians and shinobi alike. If a girl could cow fangirls in hordes . . . no. No one would tangle with her now.

Asuma held up his hands. "But you are the Goddess Supreme! You _must _be honored for destroying the horde of evil!"

"Horde of evil, my ass! They were pissy little fangirls! What is there to be afraid of?" she bit out, foot tapping, hands on hips, steam coming from her ears, nose and mouth. If it started coming from her eyes, Naruto was going to vacate with extreme prejudice.

Shikamaru huddled further under the table with Naruto. "She like this often?"

Naruto shook his head. "Not usually, but she has this thing about fan-people – male or female – and letting them run you over. Now that she had a Goddess Supreme fan base . . . well, it's not going to be pretty or nice or even legal half the time."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT,_ YOU PERVERTED BASTARD_?!"

Asuma was prostrate, his kowtowing doing little to stop her steam. "I assure you, Goddess Supreme-sama, that I am not a pervert, but a devout follower of your way."

Hinata threw her hands into the air. "Ugh! That's it! Naruto, grab Shika-kun and get your asses to the Tower. I'll be bringing Asuma-_sensei_ when I'm done."

Naruto gulped and did as bid, running flat out and dragging Shikamaru like a rag doll. "Get away, get away, get awa-" the scream of utter trauma and horror had him going faster if possible. "Get away, get away, get away, _get away!_"

**1234567890**

Shikamaru sat wide-eyed and traumatized for life as Naruto told him the probable cause of the scream. He couldn't stop cupping himself either, the need to do so instinctive. "If I can, I am going to swear off women. I'll go gay, A-sexual, _anything_, so long as I never have to deal with that."

Naruto chuckled weakly at him. "Yeah, well, get in line. You are far from the only one."

Shikamaru asked a serious question. "Do we get like that if we're in Oroiki too long?"

Naruto shook his head. "Thankfully, no. Not even when the period comes around. Oh, we'll have tempers, but Hinata is a special kind of scarier-than-Shinigami-on-a-bad-day. It's just a part of who she is. Imagine if she had been with the Hyuuga for a few years longer and that temper kept inside. What would happen when _that_ cage door opens?"

Shikamaru blinked, shook his head, and lost all color. " . . . Just no."

"Exactly."

Ten minutes later – nearly thirty after they had left – Hinata came in, Asuma behind her and walking . . . _delicately_. The other sensei looked on bewildered but didn't ask. Their Goddess Supreme was present and to ignore her was blasphemy!

Hinata had another explosion and Naruto had drug Shikamaru into the missions office away from the potentially volatile situation to see Kakashi with Sasuke, Shino and Ino along with Kurenai and her group – Kiba, Sakura and Choji. Asuma was right behind them, his breathing too fast and it seemed as if he was near hyperventilating. Naruto patted his shoulder in comfort. "You get used to it. She's quite vehement about fan groups."

Hinata stalked in, the ANBU in the hall quaking in their sandals. Sarutobi blinked when one edged away only to reappear seconds later. He would have to ask about that later. "Alright, teams. Here are your missions-"

Sasuke, Naruto and Kiba all snarled, their yells of denial ringing loudly. Sarutobi blinked. "Well, that was unusual to have three teams disagree at once."

Naruto crossed his arms, looking on mutinously while Kiba bared his teeth and Sasuke went dangerously blank. "We want a mission worth a damn," Naruto bit out.

"We do too!" barked Kiba with a growl.

Sasuke didn't say anything but his pose became even stiffer than usual.

Sarutobi held up one folder, this one with C-Class written in black on the pale cream envelope. "This will be given to the one who thinks they rightfully have claim to it. It is an escort mission to a small town. The only thing you should have to worry about it bandits but it is not a D-rank mission."

Naruto would have said something but . . . it was a feeling that held him back. Kiba and Sasuke gave valid reasons why both were the perfect team, only noticing the Naruto didn't speak up when the silence became deafening without his yells. Kiba wondered what was wrong with his Alpha when Naruto looked directly at him, his eyes piercing his very soul with a look. _Do not let Sasuke outside the protection of the village._

It was as if the thoughts had been shoved into his mind, Kiba blinking stupidly for a moment. Shino received the message when Naruto's near glowing eyes latched onto his through his lens, his eyes widening behind his glasses. A hand on Sasuke's arm halted his protest of Kiba getting the mission, the other boy shaking his head in a minute "no" message. The raven sighed but let it go with a pouting scowl.

"Then it is Kurenai's team that will take this mission," Sarutobi muttered as he watched the by-play that he doubted that even his skilled jounin would have noticed. His ANBU seemed to have cottoned on, but were baffled. The entire Rookie Nine were deferring to his command and that was almost worrisome unless you took into account the one they were deferring to. Even the Proud Uchiha and Feral Inuzuka bowed to his wishes. Curiouser and curiouser.

Kurenai stepped forward with a small little smile. "Not my team, Sarutobi-sama, but Kiba's. He is the team leader."

Sarutobi couldn't keep up with all these revelations today. His brow went up, though no one saw due to his hat. "Hmm," he murmured softly as he handed over the mission. "Good luck, then, Kiba's team. Tazuna-san, your escort is ready."

A drunkard of a man slid the screen aside, his bloodshot eyes taking in the team. "A flea-carrying mongrel with dogs, a pretty princess, and a tub o' lard?" the man sneered. Naruto bit his knuckle to keep in the fury eating him up at the insults to his clan member and pack. Hinata silently fumed like a steam kettle, her face going splotchy red.

Kurenai turned her eye to the man, the red burning with intense dislike. "They are well disciplined and extraordinarily well kept, Tazuna-_san_. This team will do their job not only well, but above and beyond expectations." Her voice was like a slap of frozen ice to the face . . . or down the pants. The bridge builder stood taller, his eyes now shrewd as he saw the near seething teens and their less than pleased instructors. Maybe he should be more polite.

"Well, then, we leave tomorrow. Be up early, brats, lady."

Sarutobi waited until the man was gone before turning to the killing intent that was being released quite formidably from his genin. "You will meet him 0800 hours at the **** Gate. Dismissed." Waiting until they were gone, he grinned. "Next."

* * *

OKAY! NAME GAME . . . or where I give you a name to each character 'cause it confused me at times but I tend to keep this stuff written down.

Naruto - Ruriko

Hinata - Hanako

Kagura - Kimiko

Sasuke - Norioko

Shino -Sanako (Identical Twin)

Shikamaru - Sunako (Identical Twin)

Kiba -Tsumiko

Ichigo -Yoyoko (Fraternal Twin)

Akamaru - Tanako (Fraternal Twin)

Hopefully, with a new scanner, I will have pics up that will show just what they should look like. But . . . I'm currently broke so don't hold your breath unless I can bribe a friend with chocolate cake to let me use her scanner and computer for a day.


	13. Chapter 13 Starting Out & LAAAATE Update

**NOTES:**

**Sasuke/Kagura (OC) **and **Kiba/Ino** and **Lee/Sakura **and **Hinata/Gaara **and **Suki (OC)/Kankuro **and** Shino/Shikamaru(partially fem) **and **Choji/Ayame (Ramen girl)** is a side pairing and **Naruto/Anko/Temari **and **Neji/Tenten **

AN: I have the worst luck with this story, I swear. This is the third time—_THIRD TIME—_that I lost _all_ my notes on it. Four years olds and children in general keep killing my files.

Is very displeased. Oh well, here's a new chapter. Sorry for being so disjointed and short. v_v

**1234567890**

An hour before Kiba, Ichigo, and Akamaru left, Naruto had his brother make a clone. The henge into Tsumiko was almost second nature now and Naruto nodded. With a good luck wink and a covertly deposited scroll or three. It would look odd if a _newly arrived older cousin_ just vanished for a short while …

**1234567890**

Kiba bit his lip to keep his words to himself, though a growl rumbled from his chest mostly on its own. Kurenai looked at him askance but said nothing. Tazuna was worse than they had first seen, if that was possible, and grating on everyone's nerves.

"Choji," Kiba bit out when the teen nearly went ballistic after being insulted to his maximum extent. The boy looked to Kiba, though, when he shook his head. "Do not kill him," the taller teen murmured just loud enough for Choji to hear. "He won't be able to take any one of your attacks. Sakura," Kiba motioned her forward for a moment. "Give him hell. Don't get caught. And, nothing lethal no matter how much you think he might deserve it," he whispered into her ear. "Now," he loudly yawned to make a show of it, "try to be nice, children."

For the next two hours, Tazuna had a series of unfortunate events that led to him tripping, smacking his head into low hanging tree branches, and cursing up a storm when he stepped on pebbles through his thin bottomed flip-flop sandals. Kiba felt satisfaction. Now if only Sakura could pull those chakra strings without being so obvious . . .

Choji was stomping along as always, right into a puddle and growling when his bag of chips went flying into said puddle when he tripped because of the stupid puddle. Snarling, he knew they couldn't stop to let him get another one out, he was far from a seal master and only through Naruto and Arashi was he able to do this little bit. Sighing in agonizing sadness, he trudged on. Only to freeze at the sound of chain links clinking together. With a groan, he was pulled apart, gore splattering the group, though Kiba hid a small smirk.

"Sakura, watch Tazuna and rip a hole in anything coming after him. Kurenai," he barked decisively, flicking his fingers in ANBU sign language. Mild surprise flitted through her eyes even as she nodded, her red eyes near glowing as she easily took out Ni while Kiba wrapped Ichi with the once conjoined chain, Choji having severed it with a well aimed kunai from the gauntlet Ni wore. They were tied and questioned thoroughly by – Kiba couldn't help the shiver – Sakura as Choji took over, Kiba, Ichigo, and Akamaru keeping an eye out. If he hadn't smelt the pups, we wouldn't know they were there in the trees. Naruto had really had Hana train them well.

"Tazuna-san, these men are not just bandits," Kiba stated clearly, concisely. His slitted eyes glittered harshly and the man flinched. "We would like to hear the truth . . . and without any embellishments."

Kurenai stood back and let Kiba interrogate their client, her lips pressed tightly in a thin line. Choji was hard in the face, his eyes decidedly less than friendly at the moment. Sakura trapped the two missing-nin before locking them into a pre-written scroll Kiba had supplied her with at one point earlier in the month. Dusting herself of imaginary lint and dirt, she trotted over, her pink hair swaying. Her glare had Tazuna shaking in his sandals.

"Alright, alright! I'll tell ya!"

**1234567890**

**A minor interlude with the others:**

Sasuke let his head hang. He was on boarder patrol with his team, Kakashi nose deep in his porn, Ino trying her damnedest to get into his pants, and Shino roaring in silent laughter. That last one had his brow ticking in unabashed fury. Shino was supposed to _help_ him, not make it worse.

"Yo! Special delivery to Uchiha!" thundered a loud, obnoxious voice. Sasuke grimaced in thought of what the fangirls might have done now. Just what did they think when sending their less than private pictures, thongs, lingerie in general, sex toys, animals – both stuffed and real – clothes, foods, charms, oils, bathing soaps, and other miscellaneous stuffs?

"Here," he called, hand raised. As he had been sitting somewhere mostly unseen even by the jounin, he needed to make sure he could be pointed out.

"Awesome! Alright, this is from an Uzamaki-san. Not sure which one, but I guess you'll find out. Just sign here . . . here . . . and here. Thanks! Toodles, y'all."

The _interesting_ delivery boy left, another case of something or other rattling in his arms. Almost dreading opening the box – if it was Hinata, he just might be screwed; however, if it was Naruto, it would most likely be more or less harmless in the end – but knowing he would have to. Gripping it with surprising ease, the raven made his way from the whispering gossipers all nin seemed to be. He snorted. Worse than Ino, Hinata, Sakura, Kagura, and Ayame-san at Ichiraku's Ramen Diner.

Closing his room door after shooing out a few camouflaged nin – seriously, this was his room for the moment; go away – he took a kunai to the sturdy wire enforced tape holding the cardboard together. Flipping back the top panels, his face glowed in joy. This was, it was—There was nothing to describe his joy as he cackled insanely. His life was going to be so much better now!

"Has insanity finally taken you?" Shino mused as he stepped into the bunk. He and Shino were sharing a room, Shino on top, Sasuke on bottom (it was not fair that Shino was now that _fast_) and therefore, both had warded the room to their chakra. Even if the door was locked, the other could open it from the outside.

"No, Shino! Naruto has become a _god_," he crowed, showing Shino his newest gift. Brows rose into Shino's hairline before he chuckled softly. Sasuke smirked as he lifted it out. "Time to test this."

**1234567890**

Naruto felt a shiver crawl up his spine. Shikamaru looked at him strangely as he paled. "What?"

"I think something horrible has just happened. I . . . I think a _fanclub_ is being made."

Hinata chuckled. "Welcome to my world."

Asuma decided that silence was the best part of valor and made his move . . . only to loose as his piece was captured. "I don't think I'll ever win."

**1234567890**

**Intermission over!**

Kiba felt the intense urge to cringe away from the mist. It smelt of old blood and sickness and made him want to gag. He doubted sincerely that the others could smell anything out of the ordinary other than a slight copper tint, easily looked over and dismissed. Akamaru and Ichigo were huddled in his jacket and whimpering softly. He wanted to too.

"Be silent," cautioned the man in the boat, his eyes watching everything with an intensity similar to that of an old war veteran. Kiba nodded to his team and sensei.

"Lets go."

They sat huddled for a miserable hour of complete silence. Unnatural silence that made the hairs on your arms and neck stand up and only made the lupine teen tense and more than a little paranoid. At the rocky outcrop of shore, the boats man lifted his hat in a silent salute before paddling away. Kiba couldn't help but feel that a nightmare had begun and they were the star players in a tragedy. Kurenai – seasoned jounin and all – didn't seem to even register it. Sakura and Choji were fairly calm and nearly jovial. Ol' Tazuna was tense but that was to be expected. He knew something was off with his home turf. Kiba couldn't help but feel that horror awaited them.

Just out of sight from the house, along the trudged out bank side road, Kiba wished that he hadn't felt such a premonition. The giant blade that cleaved through the Sakura-Clone Kiwimari (spelling?) amongst a small POOF sound with all the silence of an experienced shinobi was his proof that things were going to shit. Only Sakura's quick thinking and precise ability let her get away. The scent of her blood said she wasn't completely successful but better hurt than dead.

"Tazuna!" Kurenai bit through her teeth as she held a katana against her arm like one would a baton. Kiba whistled out, Choji nodding as he brought out a bow staff, the metal telescoping out with a *snick* sound. Sakura was beside him with only a kunai, her left hand holding the deep yet non life-threatening wound caused by the giant cleaver that belonged to the silent and unknown shinobi.

"Well, well. Three gaki, two inu and a Kunoichi in a tree. Is this the best they had to offer?"

Kurenai was indeed in a tree, facing off with a very tall, terrifyingly serene man. Kiba let Akamaru and Ichigo bound away from him, the two doing their scouting duties so that he wouldn't have to. Ichigo gave yip as she ran, reporting a second close by, Akamaru running from the opposite direction as they charged the unknown in the tree. He swiped out with his cleaver, the two images disintegrating into two neatly halved leaves. "Interesting technique, Yuhi Kurenai-san. Illusions are your forte, are they not?"

"Of course, Momochi Zabuza-san. Just as Silent Killing is yours. Please, let us pass."

There was a short, hard bark of laughter from the man Momochi Zabuza. "That I cannot do. Just let me kill the old man and our fight won't happen."

The red-eyed woman sighed. "I am unable to do as you ask, Momochi-san." She flashed through hand signs too quickly to see, her eyes seeming to glow. Then, with a leap, the deadly dance began, Kurenai calmly keeping the man away from her client and students. Water clones took up where the man was unable to, their jeering annoying and ugly. The sudden pressure of killing intent, though, got the three genin the worst.

Sakura shook as tears traveled in silver patterns down her face, her wide green eyes muted and glassy. Choji was physically ill, loosing his lunch which was no mean feat. Kiba felt bad, yes, but after dealing with Arashi-san and Naruto in full out "fight-to-the-death" mode, the emotion didn't quite effect him as badly. When faced with the Kyuubi verses a human with killing intent, Kyuubi won hands down.

"Sakura, keep Tazuna safe. Choji, cover her," Kiba ordered as he thrashed the water clones, his speed almost faster than the missing nin he was facing. Naruto had really put him through his paces and now it was all paying off. Screw that sissy crap of Kurenai, let Naruto train the new recruits! A grin covered his face at the odd thought in the midst of full out battle.

"Don't loose focus, boy," purred a voice in his ear moments before his clone took out the mizu bushin at his back. He sighed in relief. That had been stupidly close and naïve of him.

"Kiba! Can we take them off?" Choji asked lowly, depending on Kiba's keen sense of hearing. Kiba blinked as his eyes widened. He had forgotten those damned things completely . . .

"TAKE 'EM OFF!" he roared, shedding his own in the middle of the road, the weights thudding dully with small clouds of dust. Sakura and Choji did the same, theirs not quite as impressive, but still dangerously giving an advantage. Kiba gave a feral grin as he disappeared from sight only to reappear behind a bushin, then another, and another. Choji was right behind him, slashing viciously. Sakura spun around their client, taking down three in a matter of moments. They were finally doing something, doing it well, and as close to perfect as one could get considering they were greenhorn genin with little field experience.

Kurenai did nothing but blink as she made another illusion, one that finally, successfully caught the Missing S-Class Nin in it's web. With a swift hand, she knocked him unconscious before pulling some of her clothing ribbon to tie him solidly, chakra spiraling into the cloth. The screech of surprise was, well, _surprising_ since they were only anticipating Zabuza. The sight of Akamaru and Ichigo dragging a masked nin just their age, one having, by some strange chance, conjured what looked like Naruto's Industrial Grade No-Ninja Twisty Wire. Odd name, damn near perfect results.

"What the hell?" Kiba mumbled as Kurenai toted the unconscious missing nin easily over her shoulder. The downed and still conscious nin struggled harder, the IGNNTW (I'm not typing that every time) tightening like a snake would. "First, you take down the dude with the giant ass sword in like less than fifteen minutes and Akamaru and Ichigo pop out of the brush with another nin only, he is in a mask!" He raked a hand through his hair. "What the hell? I thought these guys were supposed to be hard to beat!"

Kurenai chuckled. "Zabuza-san has a weakness against Genjutsu, something I am proficient in creating. If I had used brute force, I would have lost within moments. This one, though . . . I am not so sure. Why not ask your companions?"

_:He smells of the tall bloody one, Nii-kun,:_ Ichigo grumbled, sprawled like a living rug in the middle of the road. Her tongue lolled as she caught her breath.

Akamaru yipped in agreement. _:Of course, catching this one was no fun . . . he used NEEDLES!:_

Kiba snorted, well aware of Akamaru's intense dislike of needles of any kind. "Yeah, but what did you two do?"

_Flashback . . ._

Akamaru pressed a leaf to his head once he was out of sight of the humans, transforming into a child-like form. Ichigo too was as a child, a small girl, tears coming to her eyes until she smiled. Deciding to capture the other nin they had smelt not far off, the two took off running, giggling like the kids they currently were. Feet from the ninja's hiding place, Ichigo tripped.

"Ah!" she cried out as tears once again filled her eyes. Her hands were holding her knee as if she had scraped it. "Nii-chan, it hurts," she whimpered.

Akamaru felt his hair stand on end a little. Ichigo was much too good at faking things like this. However, he decided to go into panic mode, running around and gibbering until he stumbled upon the enemy, tears in his own eyes as he clutched to the kimono sleeve from his shorter height. "Pwease! Help my sister! She gots hurt!"

The masked face tilted, the scent changing from readiness to what Akamaru had dubbed the "AW!" emotion. He could practically _see_ the big gushy hearts in the masked ninja's hidden eyes. "Where is she, little one?"

Akamaru gave a big toothy grin of his five-six year old human body. "Thank you, Ninja-chan!"

Taking the male's hand, Akamaru ran as fast as he supposed a child would, wholly inadequate compared to the ninja as his back, but convincing. When they reached Ichigo, she was whimpering pitifully as tears ran down her face. Akamaru let go to gasp as the nin approached, turning his back to Akamaru. His mistake.

With a tiny flourish, Akamaru unfurled a scroll and Naruto's Industrial Grade No-Ninja Twisty Wire held within. Unfortunately for Akamaru, the nin heard him and threw needles in his direction, leaving Ichigo on the ground. That, however, didn't even begin to stop her little devious mind. She leaned forward and bit the nin's hand, the ninja giving an odd gurgled squeak. It might have been because a mouth full of needle sharp fox teeth embedded themselves in his hand and stuck there.

Wasting no time, Akamaru lassoed the nin with the IGNNTW as enemy-nin slapped Ichigo off his hand. That was the end of it. Reacting to the chakra in his system, the wire slithered from Akamaru's hand to securely wrap the nin from head to toe, binding so tightly that movement was near prohibited. Time to go find Kiba, then.

_END Flashback _

Kiba snorted. "Seriously?"

Their nods had him cackling madly, unable to do more than hold his sides in mirth. Choji stifled a grin, picking up his and Sakura's weights. The pinkette chuckled. She and Choji had no idea of what was said, but if those two pups did it, it must have been hilarious . . . if testament of a nearly asphyxiated Kiba wasn't enough.

He hadn't recovered too much more even after they got to Tazuna's house. He would shake his head every so often and chuckle. Inari didn't bring down his mood, either, the dog-nin just grunting and fluffing the boy's hair. He just knew that this trip was going to be weird in odd and unexpected ways.


End file.
